Second Life - Kara 2
by Awatere11
Summary: Six months have passed since they began building their wall. So Kara and her fathers have now settled into their new life in this portected area of Zen. Not only do they have their bubble locked down, they are now seeing those outside it trying to look in. Now the final holes need to be plugged, now they have to tighten things up becuse shit is gonna get real.
1. Chapter 1

1

Ianto had finished his morning yoga and the jog around the perimeter he now did at dawn, returning to find Jack cooking breakfast as Kara sat with her feet tucked up under her reading the morning paper.

"Hello Kara Girl" Ianto said as he entered, a towel around his shoulder as he mopped the sweat of his brow and she grunted without looking up, looking just like her father who was turning from the stove for a kiss.

"Hello Willem" Ianto said calmly as the young man sloped into the room, his eyes roving about until they settled on the little dog and he sat down to pat his lap for the little one to jump up.

"Good morning sir"

"Wills, how many times do I have to tell you, it's Ianto" Ianto said for the umpteenth time.

"Yes sir."

Kara grinned at him and reached out with a foot to poke at him, he caught it and Ianto watched as the Were slid a thumb up the arch of her foot lovingly. It was still so surreal to see someone else loving his child, even if it was one of the few suitors Ianto actually found worthy. Well, strong enough to handle her in full flight maybe.

Ianto wandered out onto the patio to look over the water as Jack looked out at him "Babe? Breckie?"

"Might have a swim" Ianto replied, "Something to eat later. How about a bacon buttie in the fridge Cariad."

Jack nodded and watched the towel drop followed by the t-shirt that peeled off the taut body it had been plastered against, then Ianto simply stepped up onto the top railing and stepped off into the water below.

"Man he can swim" Willem said with awe "I can't keep up when he is in that zone of his. I mean, he runs the entire wall, does that stretching thing first and then after to cool down, now he's started the swimming in the last few weeks too. I mean, no wonder he is so ripped."

Jack smiled as he agreed, his mate was indeed in finer shape than ever and it was almost becoming an obsession.

Jack settled at the table and watched the Were consume the food with open glee, humming and moaning with each mouthful as Kara daintily ate hers with her fingers, finally placing the paper aside.

"Dad? Did you see the weekend market has been moved to the hall because of the coming storm they've predicted?" she asked as she reached for her cup of coffee, giving Willem a loving look as he reached out to move it closer for her. Her VM winked out of her sleeve for a moment before disappearing, it's silence comforting as there had been no sign of 'visitors' since that attack six months ago.

"Yeah, Tad was going to take some of his preserves to add to the collective table" Jack nodded, "I think he is going to finally hand over some artwork for the raffles too."

"Really?" Kara perked up, "Oh wow. He hates giving anything up."

"Well, that one of the loon in the mist he did is sitting aside already plastic wrapped and I think he is wavering on the kitten asleep in the flower pot too" Jack shrugged, "They are easy pieces, everyone likes them and it will being a lot of good money for the benefit of the Children's Play Ground."

"We all know a large piece of the pot will be provided from the fund, why do they even bother with fundraising?" she asked and it was Ianto who answered as he entered, the towel now wrapped around his waist.

"Community" he said as he accepted a second towel, "They need to feel part of it they need to provide for the children. If we do it all they will feel like we are bribing them or paying them off. By raising some of the money, we don't need to admit it is a drop on what we want to spend and they can have a feeling of unity."

Kara leaned back to watch as Ianto accepted a robe and wrapped himself up before sitting and accepting a cup of tea, looking at the sandwich and picking at it.

"Dad said you are donating some artworks for the raffles" Kara asked and Ianto nodded as he fed some of the sandwich to the dog, "Are you going into town later? I hear Martha had some new products come in, if you are going in can I hitch a ride?"

"Sure pumpkin, Willem?"

"I will run the perimeter with the new two" Willem said softly, his melodic voice a stark contrast to his huge physique, "They need to learn to check the locks on the gates."

Jack nodded happily, pleased to see the young man was taking the lead where needed, if he was so intent on joining this family he would have to learn to move to a different drum. Jack then watched Ianto finish his tea and rise, the sandwich remains discarded and he sighed as he cleaned away the breakfast things.

Ianto was never a breakfast man anyway.

But he needed to eat with the amount of exercise he was doing lately.

He was verging on obsessive.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Ianto didn't think about anything that might go wrong today.

He pulled on the large coat Bonnie had gifted him that was comforting, a Native American print on the coat that was a similar cut to Jack's Great Coat. Ianto was feeling the cold today. He was in another world with several lists humming as he drove into the car park and shut down the jeep, turning to kiss his daughter before she took off and he was half way across the lot before it registered that he was not alone, someone was following step for step amongst the cars.

Ianto throws a look over his shoulder, and sees three men, rushing towards him, knocking people out of the way like bowling pins. Ianto turns to face the men... And suddenly throws the coat up over his shoulder dramatically, like Batman - blocking their view.

Ianto disappears into the oncoming crowd on the main street.

Dork #1 and Dork #2 are pushed back into the car park but Dork #3 bulls his way out, shouldering through the people who are looking around confused.

As Ianto nears the bottom of the street, he looks back. DORK #3 is coming down the street like an infernal machine, tossing towns folk aside like rag-dolls. Spotting Ianto, he charges but gets caught between two men trying to raise a banner for the weekend market. He goes right through it ripping the material apart with his bare hands, pulling the men down, after him.

Ianto turns past the wall at the bottom of the street. He sees some off-duty soldiers posing for a photo by the statue of Daniel Boone. Just beyond this Daisy is coming towards him with tat for the sale she has obviously collected from other people on a push cart.

Ianto approaches the soldier with the camera, offering to take the picture for him. He hisses, "Look alive, incoming."

The soldiers widen their eyes as they recognise the man speaking to them, then with perfect timing, Ianto turns, and - POP! - sets off the flash Dork #3's face just as he comes around the corner.

Ianto flips the camera back to the soldier and heads for the push cart. Wheeling it around, he shoves it at the Dork, who is still stumbling, blinded by the flashbulb.

The cart slams into the man, knocking him on his back. The cart stops on top of him, pinning him down.

Ianto takes off, threading through the crowd toward a side street.

Dork #3 jumps to his feet. He's getting really pissed off. He looks around for Ianto - just catching a glimpse of him, as he disappears down the side street.

Dork #1 and Dork #2 arrive at the wrecked cart - in time to see Dork #3 disappear onto the side Street. Dork #1 motions for Dork #2 to come with him on a parallel course along the other side of the building. The two soldeirs are starting to follow.

Ianto enters the main square from the side-street. Sticking close to the buildings, he ducks into an alleyway. Shrinking back into the shadows, Ianto peers out into the Square.

Dork #1 and Dork 2 charge in. Ianto watches as they split up and start looking for him.

Suddenly, a huge hand grabs Ianto's shoulder, spinning him around.

DORK #3 has Ianto in his grasp, with murder his eyes. In one fast move, Ianto side-steps, ducks, and twists out of the coat, throwing it over the Dork's head. And as the Dork struggles to get out from under it, Ianto slams him head-first into a wall, knocking him out.

Ianto heads off down the alleyway, away from the Square, toward the back courtyard of the pub.

Dork #2 enters, spots the figure in Ianto's coat. Very quietly, he pulls out his gun, kneels... And as he brings the gun up to the cloaked figure's head, chambering a round the coat erupts, with Dork #3 viciously biting Dork #2's gun-hand, hurling him against the opposite wall.

With a frustrated fury, Dork #3 rips off the cloak, and stands.

"Marco - I didn't know –"

"After him!"

They charge off.

Ianto enters from the alley, scans the courtyard: Three walls. No way out... Save for a spiral staircase that leads up to the fourth floor balcony, overlooking the courtyard.

Ianto takes the steps, two at a time.

Sounds of a scuffle outside the wall tells him at least one Dork is down as the soldiers struggle with one.

The two Dorks enter the square. Motioning for quiet, they hear Iantos on the steps, and race up after him.

Coming off the staircase, Ianto tries the doors to the interior of the building: Locked. Too heavy to bust in. He glances down at the courtyard, and hears footsteps running up the stairs.

Ianto glances up to the roof, just above his head: The only escape.

Ianto hops on the banister, reaches for the gutter. He pulls himself up, throws a leg over - onto the roof, and disappears from sight... Just as the Dorks enter the balcony from the staircase.

Ianto scurries along the steeply pitched terra-cotta roof. There are sheer drops on three sides - but the fourth side is a one-story drop to an adjoining building.

Ianto jumps.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Ianto lands on another steeply pitched roof; unable to get a foothold on the tiles, he slides down, rolling to the edge. He looks down: The adjoining building is one story lower, with a skylight roof.

As Ianto struggles to climb back to the peak of the second roof Dork #3 holsters his gun, and climbs on the banister. He's too heavy to climb onto the roof by himself - so Dork #2 shoves him from below.

Dork #3 searches for Ianto. He hears Ianto moving, below him, on the next building. He makes a running leap.

Ianto has hauled himself up to a crouch as Dork #3 lands. They grapple. The Dork sends Ianto sliding down toward the edge of the roof, then loses his balance, and slides down after Ianto. Ianto is about to slide off, onto the skylight below, but grabs the guttering at the last moment. The Dork is now hanging, fifteen feet above a glass skylight... As Dork #3 tumbles off the edge of the roof, and saves himself by grabbing onto Ianto's legs.

They sway in the air for a second. The gutter bends, breaks, and the two of them fall through the skylight into the town hall. They land in a shower of glass on the grand banquet table in the Great Hall. Ianto is winded. Dork #3, unfazed. He grabs Ianto by the collar, hauling him up on his feet.

Dork #3 shoves the nose of his gun under Ianto's chin, forcing him up on his toes. Snarling, he thrusts his face menacingly close to Ianto "I owe you some pain."

With lightning speed, Ianto grasps the Dork's elbow and yanks his gun arm forward, as Ianto pitches his head back. Ianto's chin just clears the barrel as the gun fires into the ceiling. The flash momentarily blinds Dork #3. Ianto snatches a candelabra, and smashes it against the Dork's arm, knocking the gun away.

As Ianto draws his knife, the Dork grabs Ianto's wrist, and brutally yet effortlessly squeezes the knife from his hand, into the floor.

With a sick smile, the Dork tosses Ianto into a corner of the room. He's having fun.

As Ianto staggers from the corner Dork #3 tosses aside a massive table and chairs to get at Ianto.

Concerned this might be getting serious, Ianto grabs a leg form a broken chair. He wields it like a bat, to ward off the Dork.

"What the hell, stand down!" Ianto yells, trying to understand if this is some sort of exercise he's stumbled into but the Dork is advancing.

Now, Dork #3 lunges for Ianto's throat. Grappling, they slam into the wall. In a near death-grip, Ianto manages to push/kick/smash Dork #3 backwards, down onto the floor.

Dork now has the gun back and is rising. And at the very last second, Ianto looks up to see his daughter slamming though the ceiling panels with a roar of glee, her blade extended impaling Dork #3 on the wooden floor.

Ianto watches as she rises to her feet and wipes the blade on her pant leg with that annoying air of arrogance that is pure Harkness. She looks at her father who is panting as he clutches at a chair "Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum are contained but Tweedle Da Dot here was something else. Who the hell is he?"

"I don't know, I thought it was a training exercise you forgot to warn me about at first, then I saw the VM on his wrist" Ianto waves a hand and she pulls back the sleeve with interest. He then winces as he manipulates his wrist, the thug's strength was amazing.

"The other two don't have one. They did a tripe Jaunt? No wonder the other to are a bit….stupid." she frowns, "Maybe they didn't know the reason they were here."

Ianto shrugs as he settles in the chair, "Your father will find out what he needs to know. He will interig…ate….the…."

Kara was running, shouting that she would transport them to her parental as the prospect of watching a torture her dad is controlling has her all excited like a little kid on Christmas morning.

Ianto looks around at the carnage and winces as he rises, he heads after her muttering "I am getting too old for this shit"

As the doors slam shut more masonry falls from the ceiling.

Gonna need another wee fund.

Oops.


	4. Chapter 4

4

Jack was wiping his hands on a cloth, Kara bouncing energetically off the walls with glee, it had apparently been everything she had hoped it would be.

"So. He tried for a while but is apparently not 51st Century. Didn't hold up against my third level interrogations" Jack said smugly as he settled in a chair "He did admit to having a standing order to snatch and grab the offspring. The Immortal's Child."

"Me!" Kara enthused happily, "apparently they have orders to snatch the child of the immortals!"

Ianto stared at her silently, as he processed, then frowned

"So… their aim was off? I mean if they wanted her they only had to wait until the afternoon when she always comes to the Café for a mocha. I keep telling her its bad form to get a ….daily…plan" Willem said with a grimace as she scowled at him, "Ianto said so too, right?"

Jack was turning to Kara, "H's right ya know."

"Tad runs the same way every morning, you don't tell him off." She frowned.

"Yes but four Weres run with him love" Jack sighed.

"And he parks in the same spot when he calls into town, he walks the same way to the hall" she continued, now defensive "How do we know they were not grabbing him to use as leverage against me or something! Maybe they know I have a Were with me too!"

Ianto was sitting silently thinking.

Seething.

"You know the entire town would let us tear it apart if he went missing, besides. They want the offspring, of course it's you. That bloody blood test told them something, Mainframe didn't manage to cleanse it all or something" Jack was annoyed as he saw Ianto getting upset, "Don't use your Tad to deflect the fact you are in danger. I do not want you unaccompanied by Were until we have a full sweep finished"

Ianto seemed to agree, rising and turning to follow then he hesitated and motioned for Willem to come closer, "I want your brother for something."

Willem nodded, not surprised by anything asked of him anymore and he headed off to find his older and scarier brother. Ianto walked the room with growing apprehension and then he turned as Gino entered the room and seemed to fill it with anger.

Ianto told him what he wanted and the man nodded silently, not one for words.

.

.

.

.

Jack had considered as he sat on his favourite sofa at home and then turned to their daughter "Sweetheart. You are OK, right? They didn't inject anything?"

"Dad, you swept me with your VM and everything remember" she soothed, his concern sweet. "It's OK. I don't know why they thought they could just grab me. I mean … using Tad as bait? They know you are both immortal right? It makes no sense."

"I don't think they were thinking much at all" Jack decided, "They wanted to lure you out, to make you…hello Tiger"

Ianto had entered and was placing down shopping bags, Gino slipping in behind with bags as well and Willem looked at his brother with surprise, Gino both anti-social in general and definitely anti-human. "Gino?"

"Will"

"I am going to take a swim to the middle island and back" Ianto said as he stated to head for the patio, pulling off his t-shirt as he went and Gino walked out to settle on a lounger and watch, not liking water.

Willem followed him out and looked down, "I don't understand. What are you doing here?"

"He asked"

Willem blinked slowly, looking at his brother, then he turned to watch Ianto slicing through the water and he blinked again.

"Him."

"Yes."

Willem sighed as he started to get the wider picture, turning as Kara's hand slid around his waist and she tucked herself under his arm, "what are you two talking about?"

"Your Tad. They wanted to take him. We think they might try again. Maybe it's not your Dad's DNA in you they are after. You said yourself, your Tad has something old and dangerous in him" Willem said softly, "Maybe…maybe he set off alarms. Maybe your DNA connected to something else, someone other than yourself that they wanted."

She looked over at her Tad who had reached the island and now stood on it staring out into the bay beyond their patch. He looked like a wild animal scenting the air and she felt a shiver down her spine.

"I led them to him? Not Dad?"

"He thinks so" Gino finally admitted, "He thinks they are after something he carries, something you are connected to, something that is a danger to them. Power comes in many forms."

"Well Dad does say Tad had a certain way about him that is predatory. It's what first attracted him. Tad has an ability to…disappear. Then suddenly be right there in front of you like magic."

"He is important to us. Maybe he is the only thing that your Father might bow for" Willem said as Gino looked over at his mark once more, "I mean. He is his everything."

"Don't be a fool" Gino suddenly said as he rose to fetch a towel for the returning Welshman, "It is their offspring that they will die to protect. A thousand times over, they will die and snarl back into the fight."

Kara nodded as Willem watched his brother stalk over to the pier.

He was starting to get the feeling his brother knew more than he was saying.


	5. Chapter 5

5

It was Kara who worked it out, of course she did. She was her Taddy's daughter after all.

"Tad?"

Ianto looked up from the food he was pushing around the plate.

Salad.

"Tad, this health kick you are on is admirable but you hate salad" she sighed as she settled to pluck a cherry tomato from his plate.

Ianto sighed as he pushed the plate back, "There was chicken too love. I promise I ate that."

"Gotta keep up your energy. Also, I got these in case you need them like" she shrugged as she placed the multi-vitamins on the table.

Ianto looked at them in silence.

"Tad? They want the child. I'm not a child and they are Time Agency so they know I am fully grown. If they want me they would go back when I was small and take me, before Dad was here to help right? Dad did say they were sometimes off by a few months or so. It's not me they want is it."

Ianto sighed as he leaned back.

"You're hiding it. Why?" she frowned.

"So much going on, I …. I got a feeling when the stabilizing was settling with the walls." Ianto shrugged again.

"You were not Jump Sick. That was….oh my god. Are you telling me that you came for me knowing…I mean… if you had died…." She looked at him with new horror.

"You are my baby" Ianto said softly hoping she wouldn't know that he had…slightly…sort of…, "For you I would give up anything and everything, especially something that isn't even real yet. Was not real yet. It was not even a flutter in my gut, not even real."

"Six months, you're more than six months. That's why you are exercising and watching the intake. You are hiding it" she was now more confused than ever.

"Sweetheart, this is an age of any things, a lot more acceptances but what do you think they will make of a pregnant man around here?" he asked, "Seriously. This is the wrong time to be cooking a bun in the oven."

"Bun, yum" Jack said as he plonked into his chair and Ianto stared at him with mute shock, Kara gasping as she realised he didn't know. "Babe, are you going to sleep in the bed with me tonight? Willem is here and Gino is sleeping on the pull out. Come on, it's been nearly two weeks you've slept out there like a bloody faithful dog on duty."

"You've not told him either?"

"Told me? We've hardly had time for a cuddle lately" Jack looked between them, then looked at Kara, "Wait! A bun in the oven. Are you telling me that bloody Were needs skinning alive? Kara, I thought you would know the need for birth control. Jesus wept, these last few months have been dangerous, no place for a baby."

"Thought maybe it would be a mote point" Ianto threw his arms up in defeat as he ignored Jack, focusing on his daughter still, "Almost was earlier this week, right? If I had fallen, it would be gone."

"But you didn't and it's still there. Tad! Were you this bloody blinkered when pregnant with me? Seriously?"

Jack frowned as he listened to their argument, Ianto sullenly pulling his robe around himself more as he felt a chill nobody else did, "When I was pregnant with you I hid. Yes, I burrowed in like a fucking mole and even had meals delivered. I hid. You. I was ready to do anything I had to in order to protect you."

"And now, what's different?" she demanded with open rage.

"Nothing" he roared as he rose, his robe swinging open to show the slight curve of his belly before he pulled the robe closed again "For you I would sacrifice everything!"

Kara sat silent.

Jack's eyes followed the movement of Ianto's hands as he pulled the robe closed again, tucking it around the bump and then he took a deep breath.

"Ianto are you preggers?"

Ianto looked down at him with annoyance "What?"

Jack stared at him.

"Yes. Well, apparently yes. That's what they want, OK? That's the problem. This one. Not her after all. I think she set off alarms that she was related to the one they want. The offspring is not her, her sibling, OK?" Jack blinking as Ianto ranted, "I am up the duff. Preggers and bloody stuffed!"

"Any coffee?" Gino broke the silence as he wandered past like the two sitting with their mouths open as the one standing with his hands on his hips yelled about pregnacy, robe swinging was nothing.

"Fresh in the pot" Ianto said sagely.

"Ta"

The Were wandered back out and looked at his brother who was sitting in the lounger with his head in his hands, "You know, I like this lot. Not like humans at all are they. More like us, animalistic."

"Yeah" Willem said weakly, unable to think of any other response.

Bloody mad animals.

They grew on you.


	6. Chapter 6

6

"So I didn't matter?"

Ianto looked at Jack with confusion.

"I didn't know her, I knew nothing of her and you think this will be the same?" Jack demanded, "If you had died the other day that baby would be gone."

"I didn't ask for the attack!" Ianto spluttered. "You make is sound like I threw myself under a bus!"

"I would have been with you" Jack screamed, his arms waving, "I would have been there with my gun, my protection."

"I…I didn't know how to feel" Ianto finally admitted, "I thought Kara was a onetime deal. I did my duty, I raised her right. It never occurred to me that it might happen again."

Jack leaned closer, "So you don't want it?"

Ianto glared, "Don't be stupid. If I didn't want it I would have died and you would never have known."

"I would never have known" Jack repeated slowly, "You would never have told me. Has this happened before? Will this happen again? Ianto, I thought you did die when the chopper crashed."

"I said just a little death, more like a moment of struggle. You've had those right? Not a real one?" Ianto took a moment to calm himself as Jack rose to pace the room, he watched Jack wring his hands and then he sighed, "Jack, I would have told you once I knew how. Magic in the words, I know it is important to speak to you of important things in the right way. Had I died, I would have mourned this child. It is starting to move, I feel the fluttering of life. I am bonding to it. I thought I would have another few weeks to settle things in my mind and then speak to you, maybe I hoped you would guess. You would notice?"

"So this was a test?" Jack with livid, "Like, if I noticed I got a say in keeping it, if I didn't notice and you lost it then ever mind?"

"Jack, we are both emotional right now and maybe…"

"No! You don't get to do the Jones-Hit-N-Run mister!" Jack snarled, his hands slamming down on the table making Ianto flinch, "You will fucking talk to me!"

"I am not one of your interrogation subjects, do not speak to me like I am some fucking criminal" Ianto said in that low tone that warned of his anger level.

Kara looked at her parentals as she wandered through the room and slowed, turning to the other person sitting silently in the back of the room, "Are they fighting?"

"Yes. He thinks he is keeping the baby from him as he does not want to share. He is saying he kept the baby because he was willing to sacrifice it for you. Your Dad is now unsure if he should agree or not while your Tad is considering leaving" Gino explained calmly, "I think your Tad is about to storm off into the town to hide for a while and hopefully eat something with meat in it. He is starving."

"I can't eat meat" Ianto snapped, "It gives me terrible heartburn!"

"Processed meat" Gino nodded, "My mate has the same problem. Three younglings, all needed fresh kill. I will ask the others, some fresh meat that is wild will not upset."

"Thank you Gino, at least someone had my child's interests at heart" Jack said haughtily and Ianto had heard enough rising from the table.

"Maybe I never said because I knew you would act like this? Maybe I didn't want to be the 'wife' just yet! I am a grown man who didn't want you wiping my arse!" Ianto swung to leave and Jack lunged at him only to get a huge immovable wall in his way. Gino looked at him with open malice as his lips peeled back and his eyes glowed with that inhuman magic of a Were.

"Get out of my way"

"No."

Jack blinked with shock, "Excuse me?"

"I was sent by the old ones to protect him and the little one growing in him" Gino said calmly, "I will not allow any harm to come to either of them, not by anyone including you. He is upset, his blood levels are elevated and it is now making him hurl outside in the garden."

"Shit" Jack sighed as he slumped and looked up at Gino again, "Please. Can I get to him, please?"

Gino stared at him long and hard, "You are a dangerous man. I see that. Remember that this is a brave new world and we can all harm one another here, the trick is not to."

Jack nodded, seeing why Ianto had accepted this man into his life, the Were was not antisocial as he had first thought. He was a thinker. Of course Ianto would like him. No doubt when alone they spoke about things and considered. Not the bull at a gate Jack was.

"How long did you know?" Jack was suddenly jealous of the fact this …man…knew before him and Gino's face showed he didn't care for Jack's tone.

"I have known since I met him" Gino said with the same tone "He asked me to protect him and the little one. I am tasked with the baby's survival."

Jack blinked, "So … he wanted it?"

"Yes. Ianto wants it so bad that he is convinced he will not be allowed it with the fickle gods and their warped humour" Gino sighed as he shook his head at one so old, yet so childish that he did not see his mate's fear, "Kara is such a gem. To be allowed another? He fears that loss most of all."

Jack finally understood.

Ianto was not saying it out loud, like whistling in the graveyard he was trying to stave off the fates.

Jack went in search of his love.

Loves.


	7. Chapter 7

7

Ianto was sitting in the rain, his feet in the water as he stared out over the bay.

"Sorry"

Ianto didn't acknowledge his mate, still swirling his feet slowly as Jack sighed and sat on the pier as the water eagerly seeped through his pants. A wet arse was the least he deserved.

"Ianto, you know I am an arse. I always react with anger and blustering when I feel cornered or someone hides something from me" Jack said as he looked at Ianto's feet, "I yell, scream and act like a lunatic then think about it later and feel awful. Horrible. We don't have to bring up Lisa but I will remind you of how I squirmed for ever so long trying to apologise without saying the actual word."

"I know. Magic in words. Why Love was never one you liked parting with" Ianto flopped back, his arms splayed out to let the rainwater cleanse him and now Jack could clearly see the little pot.

"Ianto, have you been punishing yourself to hide this? I mean, you are how far along? Six? Shit" Jack sighed, "I feel even worse. Cuddles and such and I didn't even notice a little one coming between us in more ways than one."

"I have felt a bit ….ah….fizzy? I was with her too. Like, shaken up and slid to the side. I can't find my stride" Ianto shrugged as he let his hands smooth the shirt over the bump, "I was not really immortal with her. She didn't let me die. I didn't die when she was born, came back as I had been when Miracle Day happened. This baby is different, growing in my immortal self while also fuelled by an immortal father. Think about it from my point of view. Kara was so powerful that she did this? That was just with your side of the equation. This one…this one will have both parentals with the spark of immortality. For all that Kara is, your Boeshane, my… self and the spark from you …. This one will be more. So much more. No wonder they want it. Think of the power, the strength. A solider even better than our daughter? Really?"

So, they were after this one and jumped a little too early. Found my VM and honed in, watched to find Kara and then tried to get the immortal child" Jack sighed, "So. Does that mean this one is a girl too?"

Ianto shrugged, "I'm carrying the same. How I hid Kara so long. I don't know. A scan will tell us but I don't know. I don't think they knew who they had when they grabbed Kara, she was bait for me. If they thought they had the one they wouldn't have tried to come for me right? No. I don't know if anything tells us the sex of this one."

"Maybe I only make girls" Jack said in the rain.

"Nonsense, your first child was a boy" Ianto rose and headed in as Jack sat bolt upright then scrambled to his feet and chased after him.

"What do you mean, how do you know about Jazeem?" Jack demanded, "Ianto? He was before I was me."

"You were always you, just different versions in different timelines. They are all you, or at least a version. I know of him from the archives. You forget the rambling when you were being tortured by those mad women back in the day. You told them so much that was nothing at all. You think I don't read galactic standard? That I didn't hear it in the recordings when you were totally discombobulated and they thought it was bloody Mayan or something" Ianto demanded making Jack snort with shock.

"You knew. You know what they did to me?"

"I know more than you will ever know. More than I ever wanted to know, less than you though. Your long, tired life. Jack, it is all back there in the ashes. You know that right? Rhia and the kids, Lisa, Tosh, Owen, Andy. So many. Why look back when ahead we have so much. A beautiful daughter, a new one coming to cause chaos and who knows what else."

"Ianto, I am sorry for all the times I have disappointed you and all the times I still will without meaning to, I mean…we both know I will fuck up. I have this ability to. Know that even when I am scared and lashing out I still need you on my side. I will always be on yours. Our children between us. Yeah?" Jack begged and Ianto nodded.

"Don't be silly Cariad, I will always forgive you even if I may shoot you occasionally for the relief of it." Ianto quipped, then he turned and ran inside as Jack stood looking at his retreating back.

"Know when to follow, know when to give space" Gino said from the shadows, "You have much to learn and such a short time to achieve it. He tests you, he always will. Do you not see his lack of faith?"

"In us?" Jack asked with surprise, "Or me."

"No stupid man." Gino sighed as he followed Ianto. "In himself."


	8. Chapter 8

8

"Tad?" Kara yelled from her room, "I can't find my puppy."

"Your dog is no longer a puppy and I have told you before about toileting him early!" came a clipped reply followed by a sound that had her sliding from the bed and padding out to find her Tad dry heaving as he tried to clean up the dog poo on the carpet.

"Tad?"

"It's walked in" Ianto threw the rag down angrily, "goddamn it all to hell, your father has stepped in it, it's all through the fucking house now! You know how I am about my floors young la…..Blerrrrgh"

"Ianto?"

"Boots" Ianto screamed pointing at them and Jack looked at what Ianto was doing then raised a foot to check the sole and then the other, grimacing as he saw the ink pad he was working from.

As Jack sat to remove the boot Ianto dry heaved again, a hand going to his tummy bump and Jack swore as he knelt to help, going straight into the mess. Ianto groaned and Jack grimaced. "Shit, Sorry Literally, shit."

Ianto glowered silently.

"Look, I will clean this up yeah? How about you find me fresh trousers before the town meeting yeah?" Jack said soothingly, "Maybe time for a quick shower and we can both feel refreshed? Yeah babe? Yeah?"

Ianto frowned, "Are you handling me?"

"I am helping you" Jack said slowly, "My lovely Tiger Bum."

Ianto huffed and then rose, "well…yes…yes then…ah. Trousers. Shit, I need more too."

"We can go talk to Doris" Jack called after him, "She can get some larger sizes, maybe some of those pants that expand with the baby?"

Ianto grunted as he left the room and Jack grinned, sighing happily and then starting to scrub vigorously.

Kara stood staring for a while and then went in search of her love, "Willem? Is Taddy up the duff?"

"Yes" Willem nodded, knowing he could never lie to her and she blinked slowly as she considered this.

"How preggers?"

"When you were taken he was. Why he was upset with the VM jumps" Willem reminded her and she paled.

"You mean he almost died to save me and he was already with child?" she asked, "I mean, the baby could have…..and when he was attacked in town. Oh my gods. He needs protection."

"Why my brother is here, I never thought I would see the day when he would enter the realm of men, your Tad must have really made an impression on him but then again he does with everyone right?" Willem snorted, "Stop worrying. Everything is fine and we all know. There is not a single space he can reside in that does not have a Were in the shadows."

"Wow" she said softly, "Just….wow."

"The elders are really excited about this, they want to play a part in it." Willem smiled.

Her eyes widened at the mention of the Elders who never showed themselves. "Christ on a Harley"

"He said sort of the same thing when he finally said it out loud. He is so afraid of failing. It. You. Him in there covered in dog poo." Willem sighed, "Love, he is right about the fuzz ball. Maybe we need a doggie door or something. I mean, not like there is a danger with two Weres in the house, more lurking outside and we all know he is your baby."

"I'll talk to Dad, Tad will never allow a hole cut in a door" she nodded.

"you know your Dad will love an excuse to use that new set of power tools he slipped into the last provisions run" Willem laughed, "Your Tad has been so preoccupied he's not noticed."

"Oh I have noticed that set" Ianto said as he leaned against the open door, "What is he cutting without my knowledge?"

"Um…." Kara pulled a face as Willem told him. Also can't lie to him.

Ianto stared at her and then looked at the outer wall of her room, "You could ask for a door there … maybe a wee patio for a breakfast table and chairs or something? I mean, you two are getting serious and maybe some living space would be nice?"

Kara knew her mouth was hanging open, then she watched his hand move to the bump and also knew he was offering so she didn't leave. She felt some sorrow in that, "Tad, I would love that. Some renovations so when the baby is here we all have some designated areas."

Ianto smiled, knowing she had clocked the baby bump and relieved that she seemed OK with it.

"Are you OK Tad?" she showed that she had his heart as she seemed to know he was feeling a bit weird and he smiled as he nodded.

"I love you Karaline. So much, I could never have hoped for better and another gift is so scary for me. You know I like order and control. Your Dad is going to be so bad. I skipped that with you but this time there is no way around it, he is going to smother me." Ianto theatrically sighed and grimaced as she laughed.

He had forgotten something.

She had her Dad's panicky brain farts too.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Ianto rose to start the day and found the kitchen heaving with activity as Kara happily cooked breakfast, "Morning Taddy. Gonna take some grunts along the wall today, thought we would fuel up first. Hungry?"

Ianto looked at the kitchen, the raw egg dripping down the side of one of his lovely apple green cupboards…a little sliver of shell racing along like a boat on the river…. Now a tiny waterfall. He looked at the bacon sitting on the counter without cover, the bacon grease dribbling down the splash-back and the toaster and the sugar bowl which was there because she was also poaching some tomato halves.

He swallowed.

Jack came in behind him and looked up from the handful of post, seeing the ramrod back and he slowed. "Babe?"

Jack stepped around him and looked at his daughter who was dancing around the kitchen as she sang to the radio, Willem sitting in a chair nearby polishing his boots without a newspaper on the table.

"Ah, shit" Jack said softly, "This is not good."

Kara turned to face them, the spatula flicking egg and grease onto the floor "Hey Dad. Hungry? I thought it would be nice to cook breakfast."

"It's like…I mean…." Ianto fumbled.

"Honey, this would have been sweet when you were like…eight or something but ….ah… a bowl of cereal and half a glass of orange juice sliding about on a tray is a bit different to this" Jack said as he looked around and then saw Ianto looking up, following his gaze to see something on the ceiling.

"What's that?" Ianto seemed so…calm.

Not good.

"Oh, don't worry about that" Kara laughed, "I threw that pasta up there the other night, gods are you just noticing?"

Ianto looked at her silently for several beats, then asked "Is this about the baby?"

Willem looked up from his task with surprise as Ianto took a step closer to his daughter, "Are you angry? Are you looking for an argument so you can leave?"

"What" she was confused now.

"Well, you've trashed my kitchen. Your dog is taking a dump in front of the closed door and you seem hell bent on upsetting me. Are you angry about the baby? You don't want to live here so you want me to lose my shit and then you have an excuse to leave? Move out and tell everyone its hormones?" Ianto frowned at her.

"Oh Taddy" she sighed as her shoulders lumped, "You really think I'm not happy about the baby?"

"Well… I don't know what to think. You know how I am about my kitchen. Look at what you've done" Ianto growled and she turned, seeing it all for the first time through his eyes.

"Well I was gonna clean it up" she defended.

"Gods you are so much like your father" Ianto sighed as he settled into his chair, "He used every fucking pot when he cooked. Why I banned him."

"Look, I don't think she meant to upset you love" Jack soothed as he made motions at Willem to clean up the doggy-doo, "I think she was so focused in the food she forgot the golden rule of 'clean as you go' you instigated. You know your standards make us all look like slobs. Yeah?"

Ianto huffed as he begrudgingly agreed.

"Sorry Taddy, I will clean it up and I forgot about the pasta" she said sadly, sitting and facing him "I am happy about the bub. Honest, I am really happy for you. I know me growing up and moving on is something that scares you, I am not moving out. You've made sure I have more than enough things to do here without ever leaving our little patch of paradise. OK? I want to be with Willem and he likes it here too. Family, yeah? We will build the extension, we will all live here and maybe…maybe this house will team with kids, yeah? I know you are a wonderful Tad."

"Sorry love, I think I am a bit … touchy at the moment. I want to sort things in my head, I want to be settled in my mind before it all becomes …ah….real" Ianto grimaced, "When the town finds out they will turn into mad women wanting to smother and feed. I know how this works, that poor young mum almost had to go into seclusion to get any peace in her final trimester in the New Year."

"Oh Taddy, you know you can't hide!" she laughed, "They already all think they own you. You are their favourite son, even if you are older than some of them!"

"Gods" Ianto sighed.

"Come on, a pregnant man? They really don't believe us about Kara, now there will be no confusion when they see him growing" Willem snorted.

"True" Jack pointed happily, "Love?"

"Yeah. I guess they will be more understanding of the added security too" Ianto agreed, finally admitting he had to tell the humans.

After all, they were all in this together.

Right?


	10. Chapter 10

10

Ianto steeled himself for an afternoon of horrors as he and Jack headed into town.

Yes, the kitchen was pristine thanks for asking.

Kara and several Weres were going over plans for the extensions and he knew he would explode if he heard 'French doors' one more time in the same sentence as 'chainsaw' or 'No worries' ya know?

They pulled into their usual parking spot and Ianto felt something trickling down his spine so he hesitated as he went to exit the Jeep, looking around silently as Jack leapt out and started to stride towards the door of the service station.

Jack noticed he was alone and swung back to ask Ianto what the problem was when they both heard it. A high pitched sound that had their teeth on edge. Ianto slid from the Jeep and moved swiftly to Jack's side, the safest place to be right now.

"What direction was that Tiger?" Jack whispered, looking to Ianto who pointed and Jack started to walk that way, his Webley drawn as Ianto followed slightly ashamed of his hand clutching at the back of Jack's coat.

Whatever they were excepting, finding a group of townsfolk on their hands and knees sorting through something on the ground was not it.

"Doris?" Jack hissed and she glanced up, her hands full of the little green balls.

"There you are, come help sort these chestnuts" she demanded and Jack blinked, then snorted as he recognised the seed pods.

"Chestnuts."

"Walnuts over here" Ianto said as he wandered over to another group, that screech now explained as another crate was dragged from the back of the truck.

"My Cousin lives three counties over, these are from his crops. The last of his season and he sends them here. We sort the good from the bad and these form part of our winter stores. Ever tried grinding these in with flour? Makes amazing dough" Clancy said as he lifted a basket of bad ones to flick into a barrel.

"I never tried, no" Ianto answered as he sat in one of the nearby chairs.

"Well, maybe enough dough for you anyway" a voice called out, "I see a wee pot starting there!"

Ianto considered his answer but Jack really couldn't help himself, "Ianto's preggers. Kara is gonna be a sister."

Everyone froze, looking over at them as Jack proudly puffed his chest out, "I done got him up the duff. He's a bit uncomfortable thinking you are all gonna fuss too mach but I told him you are all family and will be respect…ful."

Jack found himself shoved to one side as Daisy clutched as Ianto with glee, the others crowding around him to see. Ianto was clearly horrified as hands touched, explored and more than one kiss was slapped on him, he was unsure by who…he was sure one had a moustache.

Once the talking had died down he rose and let them see the little belly that was definitely growing.

"Ianto is about six months along. Yes, he was barely pregnant when they took Kara and you now know he was pregnant the other day when the attackers struck." Jack said calmly, "I wanted you all to understand that this is why we have more Weres in the township. This was an attack on him … an attempt at the baby. There may be an increase in other creatures once they know. Ianto will be protected, OK?"

"Are you kidding? Shit, we will all want that!" the Sheriff spluttered angrily, "Sons of Bitches, oh, sorry baby."

Ianto felt a grin forming as the man stopped to address the baby.

Ianto looked over at Jack and rolled his eyes as his fears were realised, the first rug fluttered around his shoulders as another person ran to get him a better chair than that terribly unsafe one.

Jack could only laugh.


	11. Chapter 11

11

"Taddy?"

"Hmmm?"

"You did die, didn't you? How did this work?" she demanded and Ianto looked up at her with glasses on the end of his nose that he didn't need but found comforting in his Old Man guise.

He closed the book and sighed, knowing it would be her that worked it out.

"Yes love. When you were taken I died. Like I died when the 456 farted" he nodded "Then, you pushed and made me live. This time…he did the same. A spark, a mere whisper of promise but enough for whatever this is in me to latch on and fight for both of us."

Kara sat and looked at her Tad long and hard, "Tad? What are you keeping from us still? All my life you have hidden things, moved the pieces in the puzzle. Come on. You died in that chopper crash, the reset would not have a baby on board. And getting the Jeep? The blood on you? Was some of that you too? Tad, Daddy loves you so much he is willing to pretend he doesn't have questions too but… there comes a time when we have to stop with the secrets."

"Wash your mouth out!" Ianto snorted, then leaned back as Jack entered with a cup of tea, kissing him before placing it by his book. Ianto knew this was not something that would go away. It was time.

"I did die in the chopper crash, again when a bullet caught me during your extraction. And yes, I think I did die a little when I fell through the skylight." Ianto agreed, "It was not you. Your father… he gave me a part of him that stirred something deep inside me. An ancient blood that has been dormant for…well… centuries I think. Neanderthals lived in what is now Wales, or _Cymru_ in Welsh, at least 230,000 years ago, while _Homo sapiens_ arrived by about 31,000 BC. However, continuous habitation by modern humans dates from the period after the end of the last ice age around 9000 BC, and Wales has many remains from the Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age. The first humans came and…well…settled. They were considered interesting and childlike by those already there. For my love, there were already Others there"

Jack found himself seated as he listened, the lovely welsh vowels more pronounced as Ianto leaned forward to look into his daughter's face and Willem froze, his brother also looking up from the floor with the dog as they heard something they suspected.

"Kara Girl …. I can trace my bloodline right back to there. That time, that moment. Don't ask me how, I don't know but time is something I have always been in-tune with. The old ones always said we were … connected." He seemed to struggle so she took the space to speak.

"Aliens? Are you saying you…there were aliens?"

Ianto blinked, then laughed softly, "No darling, we humans were the aliens really. These were the indigenous peoples of the region." Ianto snorted, "Old magic. My Great-Gran used to tell me that we were of the old blood, whatever that means. When… when I died the first time you were so little you didn't know. I wasn't sure if it really happened or not but then came Miracle Day and I knew. Jack was not enough to make me this way, he….sort of enhanced something or something enhanced his gift. All I know if that you did not inherit it but this one…I think he might. They want him, are maybe afraid of him. I have heard rustling in the trees since he started moving."

"Old creatures, ancient and powerful Nimeriga" Willem said softly, "The little people."

Jack watched his daughter frown as she considered, "Fairies? Really, Tad are you saying you are part fairy?"

"Fae" Ianto corrected, "Also called Mara."

Jack shivered, feeling the air changing as Ianto spoke and he knew he spoke the truth. He always knew when Ianto spoke the truth because of this feeling of …well…zinging in his gut.

"So.. why do I not have it but 'he' does?" she asked "Is it because it's a boy? You are having a boy this time?"

"Maybe, maybe I am stronger with this pregnancy than last time, maybe it's because your father is here renewing me each time we connect" Ianto shrugged, "Honey, you do have it to a degree. You heal so fast, you are strong, clever and that ability to intimidate people came from him, not me."

"But I got caught and I brought them here" she said sadly, "If I had zigged instead of zagged…"

"What is done is done and the reasons for thing are beyond of us anyway my darling. Maybe you were supposed to get caught, maybe this was supposed to happen. Something is happening and maybe I needed this kick-start to pull my head out of my arse and start remembering the things I was told by the old woman, her reasons for repeating herself, telling old stories and whispering things always confused me but now I know she was trying to prepare me for this."

"What is….this?"

"This is…. A happening" Ianto finally said, "Something is changing in the wind, do you feel it?"

"Yes" she whispered as she looked at her mate on the floor. "Time is slowing again."


	12. Chapter 12

12

I was…six the first time it happened" she said as Willem moved closer and leaned against her knee, "I was in the sandpit and looked up to ask Taddy something when it all …slowed down. A bird flying past was in slow motion and I was so confused. I turned to ask Taddy what was happening and I saw the dog. The neighbour's dog was running towards me so slowly his jowls were all floppy. Tad was there scooping me up like it was nothing, then it all sped up and the dog slammed into the sandpit."

Ianto was silently watching.

"Taddy told me that was adrenalin, that I was so scared it had seemed that way. I know now that was bullshit because I hadn't even seen the dog when it all started but as a little girl I believed it. I mean, Taddy doesn't lie, right?" she looked at him and he shrugged.

"The first time it happened for me was Weevil hunting" Jack said after a while, "Ianto slipped. One minute we were racing along the river bank and the next… he slipped and I turned to yell out with fear and he was there beside me, pushing at me to keep running. It wasn't until later I realised he had jumped several seconds."

"You knew? Even then?" Ianto was shocked now.

"I suspected something, not sure what it was. Like you said sweetie, I don't need to know to be grateful for it" Jack shrugged, "I figured you had something in you that could do that, after all there is something in you that holds me like a moth to a flame. I just accepted it was a Welsh thing."

Ianto laughed and leaned back "Well, it's definitely a Welsh thing Cariad."

"Ianto, you must have been terrified" Jack sighed, "Why have you never said anything?"

"I don't want to. Don't you get it? Magic on the words" Ianto admitted, "Maybe if I don't say it then it's not really true."

"You always did prefer to do that"

"Head in the sand, that's me" Ianto agreed "doesn't always work."

"Ianto, I always knew there was something special about you. I never knew what it was and you're right, it didn't matter to me. Doesn't. We are all a bit of this and a bit of that. All I know is that you are perfect for me" Jack said as he rose to finish the conversation he knew his daughter had started. After all, she was his daughter right?

"Taddy, I always knew you were different. No other little girl has a Taddy like you and I am so glad you are mine. As for that little one growing inside you, I hope he is special too, I hope he's just like you because this world needs more of you!" Kara said as she cuddled into him and kissed his cheek before going back to her chair, "Even if I have to share you now."

"Well, this one is definitely going to be needy. Especially if he takes after his father here" Ianto hooked a thumb at Jack who finally caught part of the conversation he had been ignoring.

"He?"

"Yeah. I'm not a hundred percent but… it makes sense. Somehow, the little child I am dreaming about is a little boy. Floppy dark hair and an infectious laugh. With Kara I saw a naughty little girl with excess energy dancing in the sunlight" Ianto smiled, "I loved her so much, even before I could hold her in my arms I held her in my heart. My wee Karaline."

"Oh Taddy, you never told me that you dreamed me" she said with wonder, his face softening with affection as he turned to face her.

"You know me darling, saying things gives them power. I never wanted to jinx you, never. I was always so sure I would lose you, be all alone in the world" he smiled "More fool me, eh?"

"I was dreamed into life" Willem said after a while, "My mother speaks of a time of wanting. My big oaf of a brother here so much like Dad, two peas in a pod and she long since lamented that there would be no other pup. She dreamed of one that matched her dark fur and seeking mind. She says one night she had a dream There was a wolf a huge black wolf that filled the sky, whispering in a language she did not know. She understood the words though, said there was magic in them. Telling her that not all wolves bow to the moon, some seek the light of the golden sun. She says it told her that I would come, I would one day bring her a dragon. Oregano or orange-eyo or something"

Ianto snorted softly, looking away for a moment, then back at him.

"Y Ddraig Goch" Ianto pronounced it like …. [ə ˈðraiɡ ˈɡo]

"That's the word!" he pointed, "You know it?"

"It's Welsh. A Welsh Dragon." Ianto giggled as he watched Kara's eye light up.

"no!" she squealed, "Me? It's me, right? The red dragon!"

Ianto shrugged.

Guess so.


	13. Chapter 13

13

"What will you call him?"

Ianto looked up from the book he was reading, laying on the sofa with his feet in Jack's lap as Jack watched the birds eating from the feeder on the deck outside the window.

Peace shattered.

"Ug?" Jack grunted, tearing his gaze for the idyllic scene on the balcony.

"My brother, he well have a name right?" she asked, "Something other than Ug?"

"I always liked the name Kai actually" Ianto said after considering, "a strong name. One of King Arthur's men was called that ya know. Said to be magical."

"Well if it's magical!" Jack grinned and Kara blinked.

How do ypu spell it?" she asked.

"Well you say 'Key' sometimes, it's K A I. Some say 'Kye' like 'why' but it's origionally key" Ianto explained the Welsh vowels.

"Kai. Key. Kai" she said softly and Ianto hummed with raised eyebrows.

"Sweet pea?"

"Remember the guy who attacked me in my quarters? Was asking for a Key, kept saying where is the Key. Devon. First the attack at the intersection and then in my quarters. Key. They were trying to say Kai weren't they. They were looking for him then too." She watched her fathers, their matching looks of horror.

"Kai means key yes, or keeper of the keys. If the person was more of a traveller or visitor they might have called him 'the key' as Kai would have been translated for them through some device plus it is pronounced that way" Jack agreed as he googled on his VM, "South African it means beautiful. In Hawaiian is means the ocean. Wow, I like it."

"Obviously it's what you choose" she giggled, "Oh wow, this timey wimey shit is a trip."

"Language Sweet Pea" Ianto warned, "Gonna have to remember little ears."

"Awww, Sydney hear what …oh. Kai." She roared with mirth and Ianto shook his head as he turned to Jack.

"I like it" Jack agreed, "In Boeshanninan it means strong."

"It does? Well then" Ianto smiled softly as he let a hand rest on the little bump, "Seems like we have it all sorted then."

"So, why do they want him then?" she frowned.

"Because he is going to have the gift I think" Ianto said softly, "you don't but I am immortal, Daddy is Immortal so it stands to reason Kai will be too, right?"

"Bloody hell, Rex will have a cow!" she laughed, her head falling back to let her dark locks bounce and Willem looked at her with raw affection. Ianto liked the way he looked at her, not just affection but pride as well.

"So, the market day" Ianto decided to change the subject, already annoyed that it was all about him again.

"I'm going down to play with Daisy later" Jack said happily, "We are setting up the White Elephant Stall. I can't wait to do some bending over so she smacks my arse."

"You are such a tease" Ianto huffed with amusement.

"She does hit hard though" Jack grinned, "I might have to yelp now and then, just warning you if I come home with a red cheek."

"On your arse or your face?" Ianto asked, "She might smack that as well, ya cheeky Twypsn."

Jack grinned as he waggled his eyebrows.

"I have another box of clothes I sorted too" Kara nodded, "Gonna add them to the…Taddy? They have an area of maternity wear. Some of the shirts and stuff are quite unisex."

Ianto considered, "Well … I don't know. Sort of advertising isn't it?"

"So what are you going to do, go into seclusion and then say a stork got through the barrier?" she asked, "Or are you going to say it's mine? The horror. The shame!"

"Cut it out" he scolded as she wailed and flopped about.,

"My unwed father, about to pop one out … such a hussy. At least both children are to the same father I guess."

"Kara!" Ianto frowned as Jack started to laugh.

Gino canted his head "So … different bloods would be worse?"

"No, she's being a bloody bitch!" Ianto growled, "She is excited about her baby, just wants to make me wriggle for a while."

"I am excited too" Gino said as he shrugged, "My mate has not blessed me, I fear it may never happen."

"Never say never my friend" Ianto smiled, "She has the taint of want about her. I think the moon is about to become full, this is the best time according to her scent."

"You can smell her?"

"I can smell everything at the moment, horribly so. Was the same with Kara" Ianto sighed, "Why the dog really has to start getting better with the toileting."

"I shall be more vigilant" Willem promised, "Also we are going to do the extensions starting next week. Will you be OK here or when we have the side of the house open will you want to sleep on town?"

"I hadn't thought of that, there will be at least one night without a sealed house" Ianto said as he looked at Jack.

"I will ask Martha" Jack promised, "The B&B might be best, her Nibs here probably wants to slum it here with Willem."

"Too right!" she laughed as Willem grinned as well.

The kids were being left home alone?


	14. Chapter 14

14

Yes, there was definitely room at the B&B, Martha excited to be able to fuss on the community's favourite boys.

"Martha, there is something else" Ianto said as he settled in a chair, "I am preggers so I might be a bit…moody."

"Oh hush now, we all know about that and no one is going to be upset if you have to move something on the table at dinner time or something. If you give me a list of things that smell funny I will sort it out, my sister had a taste thing with her three." She assured him and Ianto smiled.

"There will be a larger Were presence while we are in town too" Jack warned "Ianto is being shadowed by more than just Gino."

"Not a problem, those boys eat so well that they tip handsomely. All of us will tell you the sales have increased since we all become one people. Lovely strong boys and the girls are a bit shy but have wonderful manners."

"Many have not had much to do with humans given past …ah… tensions but they do want to be friends" Ianto said calmly, "I do believe some are coming to the Market Day with some of their honey."

"Oh!" her face lit up, "Lovely. Their honey is so clear."

"Honeysuckle and Jasmine" Ianto agreed as he accepted a biscuit "Also, they have a lovely pumpkin patch and the bees love the flowers."

"Well, I am looking forward to…my goodness, you are showing dear!"

Ianto looked down and saw that his shirt had slid up to reveal his wee fuzz and he blushed as he pulled at it.

"Maybe we should go look at the maternity table love" Jack said softly "I am sure they won't mind us having a look before it's open. Less embarrassing for you."

"Of course dear, let's go look now. When will you come stay? You don't want to be there once they start, all that dust floating about is not good for bub" she asked and Ianto looked at her with horror at the thought of dust.

"She means from up on the ceiling and stuff love, she doesn't mean you are not house proud" Jack soothed and Ianto nodded as she smiled softly.

"Sweetie, your house is so lovely and clean anyone could eat off the floor. No, once they start banging and crashing the walls and ceiling might release old stuff"

"Well, I guess you are right. I was going to come Tuesday but they start Monday, maybe we should come Monday night Cariad?" Ianto poked at Jack as they passed through the doorway.

"Well, if we make it the week it means clean-up isn't up to you too" Jack agreed, "You know you will get upset when you see mess."

"But that is so long" Ianto frowned, "Kara must come and give an update each day, bring the bloody dog so I can see it still has all its limbs or not shaved or something."

Jack found it endearing the way Ianto still pretended that he didn't like the 'bloody dog' that he got the best cuts of meat for. "Martha, do you mind the dog too? We would hate for a worker to run him over or something. An open house means he isn't contained."

Jack watched the delight cross Ianto's face for a moment as she nodded and he knew the 'bloody dog' was being worried about more than the 'bloody daughter' who was supposed to own it.

"I'll talk to the heathen spawn" Jack promised and Ianto kissed him gently before following Martha to the front door.

They crossed to the hall where the Market was being set up and she showed him the maternity wear. Ianto was pleased to find some large shirts that did seem unisex, also some pants with big stretchy bodies that were dark and could pass for trousers.

Kev slid over, "Hey, you would look nice in that one!"

Ianto looked at where he was pointing and saw a pretty pink nightgown that had him blushing as Jack sniggered and added it to the pile, "Quite right Kev, lots of room there."

"Jack!"

"No, this is a community deal and they should have a say. After all, they all want the best for you" Jack said haughtily as he plucked a pair of rabbit slippers from the pile, "These match."

Ianto gave Jack a glare that could peel paint and Jack pranced away as another voice joined the conversation, "I love the cat in the flower pot. You painted that?"

Ianto turned to face the woman he didn't know very well, a bit of a reclusive one and her eyes went down to the maternity blouse he had over his front, "Oh. Poor dear, they don't have much for the fuller figured male around here do they."

Ianto blushed as Jack's laughter rolled around the hall.

Ianto knew this was going to be a long week.


	15. Chapter 15

15

Ianto felt the change in the town as people furtively tried to fuss without fussing. This never really worked and Ianto was an forgiving as ever, even when three plates of food arrived at the same time, none of it what he could eat. Ianto smiled softly as he watched Jack approaching with a small plate of what was still able to be consumed and then those around them watched with slack jawed awe as Jack proceeded to empty all the other plates. He sat and talked through his food, excited about the day's activities.

That morning Ianto had woken and stretched, feeling the taut stomach muscles complain and then he had taken a lovely hot shower, taking time to slide his hands over the growing belly, marvelling as he felt the flutters Jack would soon enjoy as well.

He had then shaved, noting the lack of real fluff as his hormones in his body adjusted more and he knew the last few months would be nice not having to shave at all. The boobs however …. He hadn't really liked those last time either.

He looked around the room as others settled for breakfast as well, laughter and soft murmurings of amicable friends that Ianto found comforting. He was still enjoying the comfortable feeling of the large chair he had settled into when the dog started patting his foot.

"Cariad, did you take the dogglet out for walkies?" Ianto asked and Jack froze, his fork paused with scrambled egg wobbling.

"Um"

"It's OK, I'll do it" Ianto smiled, "I feel like some air."

Jack started gulping down the food and Ianto laughed, "Stop it. It's OK. I have my fuzzy guards with me. You finish."

Ianto clipped the bright pink leash onto the tiny harness and stepped out with Sydney to enjoy the day, the shadows following at length not at all offsetting as he knew them well.

"Hey there" a voice called and he turned to see the Sheriff galloping over as fast as his girth would allow, "Without your handler today?"

A lovely day so he smiled instead of the annoyance he might had felt, "He found a buffet breakfast, may not emerge until the table and settings are gone too."

"Was just talking to your girl and her fella, she sez the renovations are coming along nicely, she's just at the grocers" he said with a flick of his thumb and Ianto happily started towards the store as Kara came out and saw them.

"SYDERS!" she screamed, dropping the groceries and racing to snatch up the little dog as Ianto stood there still holding the leash.

"Woof?" he said after a while and she laughed, turning to him.

"And hello Tadders" she snorted, leaning in for a kiss as Willem quietly saved the groceries and placed them in the back of the Jeep before walking over to greet his elder.

"Hello Ianto" he said happily, "Did Kara tell you we have the doors on?"

"Really?" Ianto perked up, "Almost done then?"

"Just some painting and we are done. I would give it at least 24 hours for fumes, we can't be too careful" Willem nodded. "Bubba needs one more day."

"Gods, I might kill someone" Ianto whispered to the man, "These people are sooooo cloying."

"I am sure it's not that bad" Willem snorted. His brother in the distance nodding, yes they are.

"Yoo-hoo!" a voice called and Ianto looked at him meaningfully as a woman started towards them "A bit of a chill in the air, should you be out in this?"

"The baby doesn't have working lungs yet Daisy" Ianto said amicably, "Let alone the need to use them just yet."

"Oh, of course. We just can't have you coughy now dear" she placed an arm around him, "Come along now, let's get you in the warm."

"I'm keeping my dog" Kara said and he released the leash, "Doors are in, he's safe now."

"Fine, but if I come home to find him bright lilac or something as he leans on the painted walls of your room I shall be pissed."

"How did you know my room is….oh" Kara looked down at the splotches of paint on her jeans, then threw her head back laughing with the same barking gawf of her father that Ianto loved to much.

"Go on horrible child, get going and remember … I will be inspecting my kitchen like a thing possessed." He warned and had the satisfaction of watching her face change.

Willem grinned as he saw a rare moment of concern crossing his mate's face, her bravado slipping as the only man who might cause her discomfort looked her in the eye.

"My kitchen is pristine, right?"

"It will be Tadda, just some … ah … dust and stuff from the sanding" she said quickly and Ianto watched Willem wink.

A kiss and she was heading for the Jeep. Ianto called after her, "Are you going to see your father?"

"I just did" he laughed and Ianto turned to find Jack standing behind him waving.

Seems he was back under the thumb already.

Gods, he wanted to shoot someone.


	16. Chapter 16

16

Ianto was on the bed but unable to settle.

Jack had come over to his side at some stage and tried to help by plastering himself to Ianto's back and the hand that had slid around to cup the bump lovingly was actually annoying Ianto on a scale of 7/10 right now. He knew it was not Jack's fault, he knew Jack had missed out on these moments with Karaline and he was trying to lay there and accept the mild smothering but damn if it wasn't fucking irritating.

Then came a Charlie horse.

Ianto grunted as he struggled to get out of the quit Jack had pulled over them both, the cloying heat also not that much help and Jack grunted awake, "Wha?"

"Cramp" Ianto groaned as he tried to swing his legs but Jack had his thrown over them, "Cariad, fuck."

Jack was there, sliding his hands down Ianto's legs to find the one that had cramped into a hard knot of annoyance and he started to massage it as Ianto barked with pain, trying to slap at him and finally the pain eased enough for Ianto to flop back panting in the pillows.

"Shit, that was intense" Jack muttered, "Did you get theses with the beast?"

"Yeah, there was a old bathroom attached to the room I rented. I could get to the tiles if I was quick enough and stand with my bare feet on the cold and rock my feet, usually released it after a while. Gods, it hurts though" Ianto moaned as Jack now retrieved some liniment and massaged it in, knowing Ianto would limp today.

"We can go home today, your own bed and your own house … you will sleep better and maybe not be so tense" Jack said gently kneading know as Ianto grunted, an arm thrown over his face.

Bump had moved in the night and was more prominent today, Jack surmising a little bum was poking out as he slid his hands up to see and he grinned as he felt the tiny life in Ianto.

"I meant it about that kitchen. Bloody pristine!" Ianto growled letting his arm drop to look down at his love and smile, "Hey get up here and kiss me."

Jack eagerly complied, the bump between them sweet. He would have liked more but knew it would invoke the cramp again so settled for some soft petting. Ianto drifted some more as Jack got up, stretching and then dressing to go for an early run, then Jack glanced at the bed and fond Ianto watching him silently.

"What is it love?"

"You're going for a run."

"Yes"

Ianto pouted. Jack pondered and then sighed as he sat on the bed, "Sorry love. I know you miss that but we are going home, swimming yeah? Good for the bub, good for your bod. Yeah? You can't jiggle the wee Kai too much now, he is starting to let you know if he's not happy and a good kick to your bladder in the main street might get awkward."

"Yeah" Ianto knew Jack was right, the need for a loo more urgent lately.

"We will go home, we will see the house intact still, a wee doggie door for the mutt so there is no more icks inside and then you and I will take to the water. You know Kev will be overjoyed to see you back. I bet he has got used to swimming with you now and the last few days would have been so boring for him."

"What will I wear today then?" Ianto asked, Jack lighting up as he rushed to the wardrobe to choose an outfit. Something else Ianto had decided to trial, letting Jack have some power over the clothes that might work to hide or show Bump. He had missed so much with his other kids and Ianto knew Jack revelled in everything Bump related. He was actually a natural at choosing comfortable things and Ianto was even happy enough to have let him dress him in things he might have never worn once, the comments on how fresh he looked pleasing Jack no end.

Ianto was stretching cautiously when he smelt it.

"She burning the fucking toast again?" he moaned, "Gods, the smell … Jack? That's not the right smell."

Jack turned from the wardrobe and took an inhale, then paled, "Get up. Get up now. It's a fire somewhere. Baby, get up, get out."

Ianto squeaked as Jack seized him and threw the Great Coast around him as he levered him towards the door and Ianto yelped, "Feet. Bare feet."

Jack hooked slippers and they were soon standing in the stet as the local volunteer brigade stormed the building to put out the small fire in the kitchen.

This is when Ianto looked down at the rabbit slippers that peeked from the hem of the floral nightie and he realised what he was wearing, pulling the Great Coat closed more as he blushed.

"Nice" Daisy said as she stood next to them watching the bustle inside, "Rabbits huh? Are they vewy vewy qwiet?"

Jack struggled to remain calm as Ianto's head slowly swivelled to give her the look of death.

She didn't know how lucky she was that Jack had hold of the back of that Great Coat.


	17. Chapter 17

17

Ianto stood examining the house as everyone watched with baited breath.

He walked to the other corner, the angles of the house now being keenly scrutinized before he walked back to the front. He then moved to the door and Kara rushed to follow as he stepped into the house, now smelling the air like a predator.

"Paint" he muttered, "Still needs airing a bit."

He walked though the kitchen, a hand brushing the countertop and he grunted to show satisfaction with it as Kara sighed with relief, then he moved to her area and looked back at her, "Now just lilac? We have some powerful purple too?"

"Lots of white too Tadda" she defended, "It looks clean, right?"

Ianto walked though to the patio and checked the doggie door in the doors before opening them and stepping outside to the large deck area. It ran back to the water and attached to the main deck with wide steps one side down to the grass for the dog, making the house now wrapped both sides with the decking and Ianto decided he liked that. The furniture was well made and he suspected some Were influence there, the birch limbs expertly woven into lovely patterns and he walked around to his own side to find the water calling.

"Ahhhhhhh" he breathed as he closed his eyes and listened to the sound of nature all around him. Gods he had missed this place, town too much noise and bluster. Not to mention the smells. Blerk.

"Well?" Kara asked as Willem clutched at her with matching nerves.

"I like it" Ianto finally said, "The deep rose trims in the side room are a slight surprise but likeable and I see you even pushed this wall to my day room out so I have extra floor space. Nice. A little cot can sit in there and a change table. Thinking. Well done Cariad."

Kara puffed with delight in the praise and Willem slumped with relief, "We have some things … were not sure if you wanted them."

Ianto turned to look at Willem with interest, "What sort of things?"

"Pup things" Gino answered for his brother, "Our people wanted to provide. It is our way to gift."

"OK" Ianto said slowly, obviously concerned that he might not like it and didn't want to insult them, "Let's see."

"In the basement" Gino said, pointing like they might not know where the basement is and Ianto held back a snort as it looked like something Jack would have done. They walked down, Jack first with Ianto behind in case he tripped …. Yeah. Apparently being preggers means you trip on everything at any given time if you believe Jack. Sweet actually. Caring. Cloying.

"Wow" was all Ianto could say as he stared at the tiny cradle that was clearly carved from a single tree trunk, the little filigree leaves and flowers seeming to pop. There had been so much care, several different stains to achieve depth in the carving and the bedding was so well made, hands lovingly embroidering more ivy along the edge of the sheets and blankets.

"We like leaves" Gino shrugged.

"Me too" Ianto assured him, "It is perfect for Kai. Wonderful. Please take it up and place it in the room for me. I want to have him there, on that bed. His welcome to the world in this house with the sound of the water greeting him."

"Yes, good" Gino was excited and embarrassed by the pride he felt for a pup that was not even his, blustering up with the cradle to place it as his brother gleefully bounced about the room telling Ianto the elders wanted to come visit soon, they were excited too.

"Later maybe" Jack said firmly and Ianto snorted as he walked out to the patio, dropping his clothes as he went until just his boxers were left. He then stepped off the deck and into the water, the kiss of the cold liquid a welcome home. Soon he was swimming with shadows around him, one obviously Kev who was sticking close as he enjoyed some freedom.

Jack sat and watched holding back the urge to follow him in as he saw the eagerness on his mate's face to get some alone time.

"Dad?"

"Yeah pumpkin?"

"Is he OK? Seems … frantic" she frowned as she sat next to Jack, "like … flappy."

"Town was a bit much, everyone fussing so much and the clothes thing … bump has dropped. Watch when he gets out, you can really see Kai now. He is nervous. I am thinking a zoom into the city to get some things might be an idea but I don't want him to leave here, I don't want to take him away from the safely of here either."

"Me and Wills can go" she perked up with glee, "We can stay overnight at the base and then come back."

"Well … I guess" Jack nodded, gleefully rubbing his hands as he saw them alone in the house for the night, his love unable to feel free enough for rompey-pompey in someone else's' home.

Jack was bursting.


	18. Chapter 18

18

Clyde the Bigfoot had visited, glad to see Ianto home along with a basket of fresh fruit and was melting into the trees when Coon ratted up in his beat-up truck that backfired so loudly that the dog screamed with horror before barking up a storm to cover his embarrassment at the show of fear. Maybe a little fart too. Who knows.

"Howdy" he called as he slid out and shot around to open the other door, the sheriff huffing with surprise as he jammed his hat on his head and slid his feet into his boots waiting on the stoop.

"Brian? Who does he have with him?" Ianto asked softly as the sheriff started to move for the steps of the decking, his face one of shock and delight.

"Sally?" the sheriff called out with glee, "Girl, look at you!"

The elderly woman looked so frail she might blow away and Ianto moved to the steps as he saw now why the sheriff had moved to the bottom of them, she was limping. Crabbing. One side not working properly. A stroke?

"Well now!" Jack was there in a second, his smile wide and inviting, "Coon! Most bring us cakes and blankets. You bring us a pretty lady? Well I am overcome."

The old lady stopped walking and looked up from the focused movements to see the young man bouncing energetically towards her, his arms open wide, "Look at the lovely knitting, that jacket looks sublime. Tell me young lady, did you do that yourself? Wow, they don't make things like this anymore. Everyone so bent on buying machine made crap. Oh, soft too. What sized needles did you use? I am knitting a little matinee jacket at the moment."

Jack had seized her with an arm around her and half lifted her up the steps and then settled her on the solid decking, "Look sweetie. A lady has come calling, I am putting the kettle on and getting out the good china."

Ianto smiled and offered his arm, the lovely old lady accepting it with a smile and they meandered in to the sunroom where the cradle sat in the half light of the afternoon. Waiting. Ready,

They sat and Ianto noticed the bag Coon had carried in and he patently sat waiting to see what they needed, his hand still clasping one of the lovely lady's while Brian helped Jack in the kitchen. For someone leaving when the truck had arrived, Brian seemed to be getting comfortable again.

"So. Sally is it?" Ianto said gently, "Jack is right. Lovely workmanship there."

"Me wife. She made ya something" Coon blurted, "I told her you was preggers so she made ya a…a…coat thing."

"Coat thing?" Ianto asked as he canted his head.

Coon lifted the woollen thing out of the bag and Ianto found himself gaping as Jack's Great Coat made of red and orange wool stared at him. Splotches of so many different shades it all melted together.

"Told her about his big coat thing yer wearing everywhere to hide the bump. She thought red was your colour like." He shrugged and Ianto rose to accept it.

"Oh wow. Like it's a sunset" Ianto crooned, enamoured with the coat as he shrugged it on and found it wrapped around him to touch each hip, "Oh gods. Even when Kai is huge it will still do up in the front. Oh wow, just perfect for the cooler weather. Cariad, look. My house coat. When he's here he can hide in it with me, cuddled in a big blankie."

Jack entered and placed the tray of food down to look at Ianto with wonderment, "Oh love. You look so warm!"

"It is" Ianto gushed, "It's wonderful. Oh Sally, how lovely."

Ianto sat and burst into tears, immediately horrified as Jack rushed to cuddle him. Kara had already left for the city and he was on edge, now this small act of kindness overflowed the hormonal emotion cup.

"Sorry" Ianto said as he tried to control himself, "I love it so much. My wee boy is so cosy."

"Boy?" she spoke for the first time, a guttural bark that had Ianto looking at her closer.

"Yes. I will call him Kai" he smiled as the old Werebear reached out to pat his stomach with interest, "I am so glad to meet you. He needs strong women in his life, you will be such a loving aunt."

"Lovely" she nodded.

"Yes" Ianto sighed happily as he snuggled back in the lovely gift for his unborn, "Perfect really."

Turns out Sally liked Jack's chocolate chip biscuits that had been cooling as well.

Win, win.

Lovely.


	19. Chapter 19

19

Kara was due back so Ianto took the car into town to get a few things, Gino beside him as another one lopped along in the trees at the edge of the road. Gino usually drove these days, Ianto dozing in the passenger seat but today was his last day of freedom and he had put his foot down, satisfied when Gino just shrugged and slid over. Ianto knew it might be the last time before he was too big and uncomfortable to let them see him and he was revelling in this last spot of freedom, albeit with attack dogs. It was nice in the Jeep, Kara had taken the SUV to fit more essentials. Also the fact it was reinforced making it a no brainer as she would be leaving the safety of the cove.

"And here we are" Ianto said as the diner came into view, one of the women who worked there standing outside having a cigarette and she raised her hand to wave to Ianto as it happened. The explosion was severe, throwing her forward like a Mack truck had barrelled into her and her body struck the side of the car parked between them, Ianto only able to watch as the debris flew towards him and Gino reacted, turning to shield his friend as the blast hit the vehicle, making the wheels on the side nearest he café lift, the wheels now several feet off the ground as Ianto swore and slammed the gas pedal down as he struggled to get past the hot zone. His training wa honed and is was like muscle memory as he swung in an arc to keep them from the blast.

The blast wave increased shrapnel used in the bomb to move away from the initial explosion at high speed piercing the flesh of unwilling victims. The fire from the explosion started spreading and heat blasts as an aftershock. The heat generated by the explosion caused the gas tanks out back of the café to explode as those trying to rush to help were thrown back again.

Ianto had struggled the vehicle to the safe zone and was sitting there gasping for air as Gino's rough hands slid over him repeatedly, shaking with adrenalin as he snarled softly an Ianto turned to seize the man in a bear hug to reassure him.

Blood.

"Shit, Gino. You're hurt" Ianto gasped pulling back to see an ear oozing blood as He shook his head.

"I am Were, I will heal. You and the pup are the most important thing. You will be OK?" Gino demanded "The shock not too much for him?"

"No, no" Ianto blustered, "I mean … yes. Kai is fine."

Gino held him some more, then the Sheriff was there beside the vehicle, "Shit Ianto, are you OK? When I saw you two sitting here me heart fell to me boots. You're Ok?"

"Yeah, a bit shaken but I think I'm OK" Ianto nodded, "Jesus H Christ, that's the end of this car though, shit balls."

The men laughed shakily as Gino hugged Ianto some more then gingerly got out to insect the damage.

"Christ, glad I am not the one who has to tell your little spitfire her Jeep is toast" Gino snorted, "Maybe I should call Willem and by the time she's done screaming flames over everyone she will get back calm again."

"No, she will drive like a hell demon and your brother will return a snow white ghost of a wolf" Ianto huffed, "No, I will get you to do something though, Gino to call Jack. He will hear my voice still wobbling and go off on one. You are calm, he will believe you if you say we are fine, just spectators. He doesn't have to know until he gets here how bad, yeah"

"There he goes, handling everyone" Gino snorted as he nodded and went off to comply with his friend's request.

"Musta been a gas leak?" Brian surmised pushing his sheriff's hat back off his face to squint back at the burning building as his men secured the scene and the firemen worked.

Gino looked as well, "Two explosions though. First wasn't the same. If it was gas the whole kit and caboodle would have gone as one wouldn't it?"

"Yes" Ianto said softly, "The first was a bomb, has a different sound to it. An accelerant was sued but the way it seemed to bow out tells us it was also symtex in there somewhere."

"And you usually sit this side" Gino said as he poked at his destroyed seat, the Were goodness already healing the cuts on his hide.

Ianto looked at him, then walked back to the point of impact, standing to look at the debris and such where their vehicle had been at the moment of the blast. Gino usually drove, he sat on the side nearest the blast and the timing had been so exquisite … "Gino, look around for someone moving away from the scene. They had to be here to remotely detonate the blast. This was not a timer."

Gino let out a few yips and took off, three more Weres appearing as they loped across the parking lot and headed up the street like a wolf the size of a small horse was commonplace.

"Shit" Ianto muttered to himself, "Jack is gonna go nuts."


	20. Chapter 20

20

"Taddy what do you mean you broke my jeep?" Kara screamed shrilly down the phone as she had snatched it from Willem before Ianto could disconnect.

Gino, me and couple of others came into town to get a few things. While we were here there was an accident … I am fine, was not hurt love … the jeep was collateral damage" Ianto was calm, it oozed down the line and he heard her exasperated sigh as she accepted his words. Not really a lie, right? He decided to sweeten the deal "Besides Cariad, bound to be something in the vehicle pool you want to test drive?"

Silence.

Then a sharp intake of breath followed by a Harkness chuckle that told him someone was going to find an empty spot.

The other problem was coming closer, the squealing of breaks alerting him and he resisted the urge to growl as his beloved Austin Martin came hurtling along the road to screech to a halt. Ianto closed the call and took a deep breath knowing the real shit was going to hit the fan if this was not handled just right.

"Holy shit Brian, that's one hell of a mess" Jack said as he clambered out to look at the damage and Ianto was glad he had stopped on the good side of the Jeep, then he remembered a fraction too late that the sheriff was a bit slow.

"You should see the girl's jeep. Pure write off, they got slammed like a tornado hit them" Brian said as he pointed to Ianto and Gino who was face palming as Ianto smiled weakly and waved.

Jack saw Ianto's furtive glances as the Were to tell him to keep silent so he walked a slow circuit of the jeep then came back to stand before Ianto, his eyes checking him over as his fists clenched at his sides.

"I am fine, not a scratch" Ianto said slowly, "Gino protected me and we are fine. Those poor people in the diner didn't fare as well I can't stand the smell so I've not gone near but there were two distinct booms. The first blew out, then the gas tanks went up."

"I agree" Gino took his cue, "The first was fanning out across the street, not up like you would expect a fire. The second one consumed."

Jack turned to focus on the burning building and he slid off the Great Coat to drape it on the hood of the car then he walked towards the diner.

"Jack, it's too…..hot" Brian turned to Ianto who shrugged and rolled his eyes, the Captain disappearing in the smoke. He returned with a body in his arms and dropped it, gong back in several times then to everyone's glee he came hurtling out with a young boy in his arms covered in a wet t-shirt.

"Quick, he was in the toilet when it happened, was too scared to come out thank the gods or the smoke would have got him" Jack thrust the boy at someone and dropped to his knees, hacking and coughing as the smoke finally got to him.

"Come on, the bar" Ianto demanded and Gino hoisted Jack up under the arms, another Were Ianto vaguely recalled was called Heather or something helped move him to the now empty bar as everyone stood watching the flames.

"Shit what do you need?" Emma asked as she took the glasses from a table and ushered them to sit.

"I need a good sharp knife, some towels and for you to look away for a sec" Ianto said as he knelt to open Jack's shirt, the coughing now dry rasping as his lungs started to fail him. Brian had followed them in and was watching the She-Ware pull Ianto's coat around herself in human form.

"Here love, this one?" Emma offered a large sharp blade and Ianto grunted, nodding and he looked Jack in the eye as he leaned in to kiss him.

"I love you" Jack rattled and Ianto crooned as he plunged the knife in, the Weres jumping as Brian covered his mouth with his hand.

Ianto held him as he died.

Then he calmly sat the body back in the chair and started to wipe the blood off the now bare chest.

Jack roared back, grasping for Ianto like something was after him, clutching him as he shook and snarled at death. Then he stood and buttoned up the shirt and looked around, "Right. I need all the CCTV… hang on. Tosh can get that right?"

"Yes, I will effort that" Ianto muttered as he reached for the phone, calling the AI and then sitting as his hands started to shake.

Kai somersaulted and kicked violently, not liking all that adrenalin either.

Ianto knew it was time to call it a day.

He wasn't safe right now, this was clearly not an accident.

These bloody time agents needed another fright?

This tiger was sick of his tail getting grabbed at, that's for sure.


	21. Chapter 21

21

Kara returned home with another vehicle following her new Jeep, a large six man number with…. Oh hells … a gun turret?

"Over kill Karaline?" Jack called happily as he waved, watching the second SUV crawl to a stop. "Gwennie?"

Ianto sighed as he stood on the top step with his coat pulled around himself protectively and he watched Gwen slide from the driver's seat… of course poor Rhys didn't get to drive… and launch herself at Jack. Some things don't change. Then Rex got out and Ianto perked up as Willem raced to help him unpack things from the back of the SUV. The SUV that was theirs had been left open so Ianto wandered over to see what his daughter had picked, then he made a soft noise as he recognised some containment cases with his own handwriting on them.

No.

Surely not.

Ianto reached for one and pulled it closer to check the tag on the handle.

T. Sato experiment number 45993.

Ianto swallowed and pulled it even closer, wanting to lift it but knowing the weight of this thing so he turned to the trees and motioned, a Were coming forward to help the Chosen Elder. He carried it to the basement, and Ianto motioned to a bench and whispered his thanks, sitting on a high stool to stare at it for a while as the Were carried the other things in.

After a while he heard voices and tuned to see Jack coming down the stairs with Gwen and the others with her gushing "So I didn't know what else to do with them. They were cleaning everything out and I saw these had the old T3 seals on them so I scooped them up before Unit shut them in the secure archives. Rhys reminded me they were in the shed the other day so I thought maybe you guys might like them. Nothing alien apparently, just failed experiments and Tat."

Ianto stood and drew a canvas over the one he wanted, nodding as he pointed to another one, "That's one of Owen's isn't it?"

Jack was soon laughing as he looked through half completed reports with spelling mistakes and profanities, old photo albums and toys as Ianto made some snacks… Ianto style. Like … a meal even Rhys was full from as they all hugged and waved goodbye.

"You were kinder to her this time" Jack said after a while, "She was so excited when you let her touch bump. Thanks for that love, I know you two had a love/hate relationship."

"I am feeling mellow" Ianto agreed as he yawned, "Gonna go find that crate me my photo albums in too. Might be a few baby ones to show Kara, she's not seen baby pics of me."

"Awwwww …. Cute" Jack muttered, still rooting in one that was marked 'Jack's Desk' and he didn't look up as Ianto slid away.

Ianto opened the case and looked at the thing he had carefully packed away, his hands shaking then as well. He remembered that day, the Darlek invasion, the madness.

Ianto picked out Toshiko's notebook with her handwritten thoughts on the thing she had been creating and he went back up to settle in his daybed so hopefully the stinky little Kai would stop doing the tango in there. He rubbed his belly and found himself humming the tango before he realised and he snorted absently as he read her ideas for different settings. Ah. This is what he wanted… remembered vaguely seeing.

"Whatcha doing?" Jack asked as he dumped Sydney on the bed and the dog rushed to slide between bump and hand, Ianto never ceasing the slow rub as the dog groaned with glee.

"Reading one of Tosh's notebooks" Ianto answered, again telling the truth. Right?

Jack grunted and padded to the kitchen "Hungry?"

"We just ate."

"I'm hungry" Jack muttered as he pulled a plate from the fridge of leftovers and walked out to the back porch to watch the wildlife on the water. The dog soon followed.

"Jack?" Ianto called after a while.

No answer.

Ianto rose and went out to find Jack asleep, snoring softly as he snuggled with the dog. Ianto went into Kara's room and found her and Willem unpacking clothes. Ianto stifled a bark of laughter as he saw that she had returned with more clothes for herself than him. Typical little beast.

Ianto went down to the basement and opened the case, removing the first piece to the puzzle he had to create and he knew the next 24 hours would be the most delicate so far. Each piece needed to be precisely placed and measured as Mainframe went nuts with excitement as she recognised her own tech coming online.

This time tomorrow?

Those time agents would get a hell of a shock if they tried to jump into his little bubble!


	22. Chapter 22

22

Ianto was up with the birds, Jack yawning as he stretched and looked over at his bed mate. The little wet nose snuffled into his neck as he snorted softly, "good morning Sydney me old bud."

Jack wandered out and froze, staring at Willem and Gino who were both watching something from the French doors as they ate cereal from a cox. "Boys?"

"Hi Jack" came the unison response.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Ianto is being weird" Willem said as Gino nodded.

"He has a backpack with him and he's putting something in the other side of the river. Like … he called it… what did he call it little one?" Gino asked.

"Stop calling me that!" Willem snapped, "He called it a polarity sensor tower."

"Polarity…. Hang on. Steel like… this big?" Jack motioned with his hands and again both heads nodded, then Willem pointed.

"Here he comes."

Ianto came up the ladder at the side of the boathouse and clambered up to the deck, his bump not hindering him as he grinned at Jack and accepted the towel Gino was offering "Wow, that water was chilly. Good for the pores they say, right?"

"Whatcha doing?"

Ianto grinned wide as he knew Jack had twigged and he pointed to five more small towers that looked like Bunsen Burner tripods with weird tat stuck on top "These are for in town, I planted the others in the woods last night and this morning. Then we fire her up and see if Tosh was right."

"When was she ever wrong?" Jack agreed as he picked up the notebook seeing the little scribbles and extra notes in Ianto's purple pen. It matched Tosh's pink and he knew other books already had some of these as the two had worked on projects together.

"Well there was that time she blew Owen's eyebrows off" Ianto pointed out.

"Yes but I am still convinced that was strategic on her part, after all he did let her blow on them for a while to ease the tingling" Jack laughed.

"It might not even work" Ianto sighed, "I dismantled it as carefully as I could but we are talking … what …..25 years ago? Yeah?"

"Ianto, I know you remember every command and reboot step too" Jack soothed, "Come on. Get dressed and we will post those while it's early and no one notices us then if it doesn't work no one is any the wiser. Including whoever else is watching."

They puttered into town and the SUV purred happily as Ianto sat in the safest vehicle in the fleet. They soon had the towers in place bar the last one, Ianto wanted that on the roof of the hall. They entered to find a tai chi class starting and the women all squealed with delight as Ianto walked in with his too tight clothes on. Bugger. He really thought they were starting in an hour.

He accepted touches with good grace as Jack slipped to the roof and back, totally unnoticed as the only thing that existed in the entire universe was the pregnant man who seemed to glow.

"Come on, sit down" Daisy demanded and Ianto waved a hand.

"Tell you what, I'll take class then" he said happily, "I will show you young ones that when you are whales like me you can still look after yourself, after all the baby comes out and you have a baby belly then. Keeping fit helps you pull back."

Jack settled to watch Ianto bend and dip, sway and stretch especially enjoying the riding up to let Kai peek out as the women all watched with unreserved delight. He finished the entire routine with only a soft pant to show the weight was telling, then he clapped his hands, "Right then. This is probably it until the little bugglet is here. Kara will make up for it I am sure with the new Jeep. Gods, that girl is as impossible as her Dad."

Some soft laughter as Ianto glowed happily at Jack who rose for a kiss then Jack turned to the assembled women, "And when he is born there will be an announcement, I know you are all waiting with baited breath. A day or so for Ianto to bond and rest then we will allow some visitors, just one or two at a time so I will leave to you all to sort your rosters for that, I don't want any guns involved in the negotiations!"

Laughter as they all gushed and Ianto smiled, "And if anyone missed it, we are having a boy but he will wear any colour, I am not restricting him to just male dominant colours so if he starts sporting a bright pink hat you know he likes it. Simple as."

Jack nodded as he added, "In my culture pink is as male as blue is. There is no classification for sexual preference. Kara is such a lady but she can spit like the devil!"

"Ladies" Ianto bowed, "I am retiring to my boudoir."

They laughed and waved as they drove off, Willem in the back checking the tablet as Mainframe worked her numbers to see if the towers were all up and functioning.

Ianto didn't bother checking.

He was confident.

Tosh was never wrong.

Neither was he.


	23. Chapter 23

23

Kara had looked at her jeep … you know. The dead one.

She had walked around it and immediately known how close she had come to losing her baby brother. This was something she had never experienced with her Tad before, or at least never noticed, this ability to play down something so horrific.

"Kara?"

She turned to Willem, her eyes filling with tears as she swung her arm at the remains "Look what they did."

"One just landed" he replied calmly.

"Landed?"

"Whatever your Tad was doing, someone just got….sort of … zapped? Landed with a hell of a thud just outside the entrance to town. Looks like someone threw him through a tornado" Willem explained, "Has a VM. I know it was…."

His reminder that they had agreed not to use their VMs as it left a traceable code was met with empty air as she touched the recall button to take her to her father's side and he sighed as he turned to run as fast as he could to meet up with her, Jack already looking at the mangled heap of Time Agent at his feet.

"Wow, this is what bird strike looks like?" Kara asked as she crouched to look more closely as the body.

"Yeah … except more feathers and less arsehole" Jack replied sagely. "Don't jump again love, you know we promised Tad."

The sound of the SUV roared closer and they turned to watch Gino drive up then swing around to park as Ianto slid from the slowly reversing vehicle like it was no big deal that the belly was now gynormous.

"Is it one?" he was yelling "Did I catch one?"

"Darling, you might have to adjust the strength or something" Jack soothed as he turned to face the man striding towards him with a look of doom.

"Yeah, like … ahhh … a tweak?" Kara agreed, "So they are more stunned and pliable than … squished."

"Squished?" Ianto frowned as he looked around them and paled, "Shit."

He swung to vomit, his hands clutching at his beloved coat to ensure nothing splashed on it and then he took some deep breaths and energetically strode up and down for a while like a marching soldier.

Good for the glutes" Jack said to his daughter as she snorted then Jack went back to poking the corpse with his foot but Kara was curious too, crouching to go through pockets.

"Ewwww" Ianto groaned as he glanced over and looked away, more puffing and striding about as his little dumpling shoved her hands into mangled mess with a look of glee. Looked like she did when playing with playdough as a child. Ewwwww.

"Wallet" she said as she flicked it back and Jack expertly caught if with a snap of his wrist like they had practiced it. So alike that they seemed to flow. He opened it to look at the ID as she now removed the VM and rose to see if it was damaged.

"Ooooo, this one is a class B" Jack said happily, "We are getting more difficult it seems, they think they will send a higher class of dickwad?"

"What were you?" she asked.

"A" Ianto answered for him as he now focused on the VM in his daughter's hand, "That will have a jump memory?"

"You're not going anywhere" Jack said with a bored tone as he reached for the VM, "Preggers. No jump back with teeth, guns and balls swinging. Nope."

Ianto snarled and then stomped for a while.

Jack was still fiddling with the VM when a voice came out, a recording that had them all freezing, "….and if I did know I wouldn't tell you space vermin…." John Hart seemed to be choking out the words and Jack growled as he shook the VM "….more than you bargained for…. Will tell you to have better armour than that…..wankers. You reap what you sew….wish I could see…." Jack sighed as he glanced at Ianto who knew the problem now.

John was being tortured for information on them, he was still someone Jack had once loved and despite the little 'killy killy die die' thing between them there was this stupid Partner Code thing making Jack twist.

"Well … fuck" Ianto spat, "Fucktity fuck fuck wank!"

"Taddy! Little ears!" Kara was scandalized as her Tad proceeded to show her that there were some good Welsh words there too, then other languages before something she didn't know came out and Jack roared with mirth as he leaned in to whisper to her that is was Gallifreyan and he didn't know where that one had even been shared. Probably during sex.

"Ewwwww" she slapped at him.

"They will be expecting a rescue mission" Ianto said as he calmed.

"They will be expecting me" Jack agreed, the VM folding in his hand as he looked behind Ianto with a look of extreme thoughtfulness.

Ianto swung to find Gino leaning on the hood if the SUV with a look of confusion.

"Huh?"

Ianto swung back to look at his little girl and he sighed as he fingered his own VM before removing it and looking over at Willem.

Yes.

Jack was right.

They would expect the captain to weigh in with his suited mate bustling through the front door blustering up a storm.

Not a mental woman and her two highly trained Dogs popping in sideways.


	24. Chapter 24

24

As she had hoped, the room they jumped into had been the one the agent had left. Empty as per the scan and as the brothers both huffed and shook themselves like wet dogs grinning at the tingle she took a moment to check their bearings as her VM called up the schematics via a nearby computer, the USB stick slipped in for Tosh to do her stuff.

This facility seemed familiar and Kara remembered her father saying they liked to replicate things. This means … she swung to her left and counted her steps, then turned right.

Holding cells.

Her Taddy's edidic memory gave her a map of the place she had been held in and she now knew exactly where she was, this place an exact copy down to the signs on the doors. Dicks.

She leaned on the door and fiddled for a while then sighed and stepped back as Willem simply slammed it off the hinges to fly into the room, landing on the ground with a solid thud.

John Hart was sitting on the bed, his face bruised and his healing abilities from that 51st century DNA blend making him look like an extra from the Walking Dead as he blinked slowly at the door, then looked up at the beauty striding into the room. He felt his balls shrivel as she swung to look at him and he felt something radiating from her like gamma rays.

"Him" she pointed and a man entered, his movements… shit…. John yelped as he recognised a Were coming at him, another larger one entering to stand with the woman. He was no match for the strength on display, not when he was already compromised and could only curse as he was swung over the beast's shoulder and then his head slammed on the doorframe during the exit.

"Willem, careful. He might need that" she scolded and he caught the Welsh vowels, now looking up as he watched her walk between his carrier and the big one on back. The stride… Harkness? Well now. Well. Well …. Shit. Her eyes had flicked now to regard him and not only was she a Harkness he saw something he had seen a long time ago, years for him thought probably not so long ago in the ethos of things. Eyes that he had seen on the other end of his sword filled with anger and bloodlust, swirling pools of power….shit.

"Bred" he choked out, "They bred. Shit, you're their daughter. No wonder he was ready to die."

They entered a room and she poked around, "Check over there, his VM is in here somewhere, it's where I found mine in the other place where I was held."

They began to ransack the room and he found himself left standing unsupervised. Like … harmless right? He grinned as he took a step…. The blade under his nose startling as was the snarl in his ear that was devoid of Welsh tones, "One more and I devour your face first."

"Oh lover, not even dinner first?" he whispered as the Were stepped between him and the maiden…ah. "Really? Little Miss Harkness?"

"Harkness-Jones and he's mine" she said haughtily as she raised her hand and he saw his VM clutched there, "Come on. We have a small window before they lock down and if they worked out my escape before they will be ready this time. Shame they are too thick to know I have an entirely different plan today"

"Before? You've escaped a place like this sweetling?" John asked with genuine interest now, this pretty piece of arse suddenly a lot more exciting as she swung to give a familiar smile.

"Come on Johnty old man" she chortled, flicking the VM at him, "We all need to sync to me, we will jump back once I sent the forward code so Tosh will let us in."

"Toshiko?" John said softly, now totally confused

"Our AI is named after her, you knew her?" Kara canted her head, "Oh right. Uncle Gray."

"Who?" Willem asked.

"Someone long dead" she said as she dismissed the conversation, "Come along Captain Hart Daddy said you were worth a second chance. A second life sometimes comes to those who least expect it."

John walked over to touch his VM to hers and noted the sleek design and strange symbols carved into the leather.

"Gallifreyan" she said as she saw him looking, "It means Love. Tadda did it for luck. He's funny like that at the moment, the baby is making him all soppy."

"Baby? He's ….no. Don't tell me I get to see him preggers. Really?" John was definitely on board now as he waited for her to give the countdown, her fingers doing something on the screen in a language he couldn't read then she counted down from three and three jumped.

John opened his eyes to a fist, slamming him to the ground and he lay writhing as he held his mouth and the shoes of the hard thumper made him blink back tears with confusion.

Rabbits?


	25. Chapter 25

25

John now knew it had been a mistake to jump seconds after the others, coming in late meant he was more obvious in his arrival and by the Gods did that Welshman hit hard. He had wanted to make an entrance and I guess he got one, although not quite what he had expected. Strangely it had also been the Welshman who had offered a hand to help him to his feet and John recognised some sort of agreement had been met, John had been shown Ianto's teeth once again, and as in every meeting he had been left spitting blood.

OK, lesson learned.

Ianto was sitting with his feet up, the rabbits looking like they were leaping for the sky as his swollen ankles got a rest. He accepted the hot chocolate Jack was offering and then settled more, his daughter entering the room with a quilt, "Here Taddy, found it. The one with green on it right?"

Sydney seemed to come along with the quilt leaping up to settle in the corner of the chair behind Ianto's hip like a fluffy cushion, his little head resting by the bump as he listened to that frantic heartbeat of his soon to be best friend.

"Yes love that came all the way from Wales with me" Ianto was happy, his hands reaching out to stroke the material, "I wrapped you in it when we had to run one night and it was shut in the door here, see where I mended it?"

"Are you kidding?" she laughed as she leaned over, her head touching his, "Invisible stitches. Master Tailor you."

Ianto snorted, then pouted for a kiss and she happily smacked their lips together then she rose and walked over to sit in Willem's lap.

"so … Preggers" John said as he found a mug of hot chocolate coming his way as well, "that is something. You know, he said he would never do that again."

"So did I" Ianto sighed, "She bloody near killed me."

"Birth can be like that" John nodded.

"He means, when I was born he sort of died" Kara sat facing John, "I was his reset. He lingered for a few days, long enough to heal but an infection did him in. Why when he is reborn he is young, handsome and pissed off."

"Actually, you were a little death" Ianto corrected, "I think Miracle Day sort of cemented it for me, the real tell. You alive and me hurt."

Well .. whatever the reason. Because I have Dad's DNA in me, when Taddy died I sort of pulled him back but it was not a real death back then. It was really me keeping him alive because I didn't die, the embryo that became me was still alive. Then, when I was born he almost out. Came back only to get that infection. Then Miracle Day and I should have died but the tables were turned. You see … Dad and Tad are immortal but I don't think I am. I heal really fast and I know my own baby will not cause me a long recovery" Kara smiled, "But it will be a Were so it will be powerful and will have Dad's DNA in there too. A new creature."

John blinked, "A hybrid? Wow, you know … in our time they are revered for their fighting skills. They are called the….er."

"The what?" Ianto looked up as John clicked his fingers in an effort to remember.

"Paradisios" Jack said with a look of surprise, "I had forgotten that. Paradisio Hybrids. Huh. Funny huh? We call this place Paradise."

Ianto grinned as he watched Jack catch up and start to laugh, "Shit. My great-great grandchildren or whatever? Really? I've had sparing matches with my own descendants. That's so funny."

"I knew a Paradisio that could read minds" John said with awe, "Some sort of inner eye thing, he could just look at me and…shit. Eye candy. Of course. Wow"

"Quite the mind trip isn't it" Jack smiled, "John … all games aside, this is not something I share easily but we can find common ground here … I really want our feud to end. I know you like to play and in the past I indulged your fatalistic tendencies but … I am a family man now and I am settled now."

"You got me out" John said softly, "You could have left me there and they would have locked me away, I would have never bothered you again. I would have never given up your VM code ya know."

"But then my Partner would have been trapped forever" Jack shrugged, "Ianto is my heart, along with Kara and little Kai they are my future but you are my past. Important too."

"And this place?" John looked around with interest.

"Welcome to Paradise Slice" Ianto said with a cant of his head, "Beyond the Time Agency's reach, below a Dome of impenetrable power."

"Slice" John said with surprise, "That was what they called themselves. Slices."

Jack laughed as he recalled, "My children's ….children's….. children or so are little buggers."

"Well it is your side of the family I guess" Ianto sniffed as he patted his belly, "My side are refined and apt in getting out of things."

"Actually, they are said to be revered as confidants to the Face of Boe!" John said as he contemplated things, "Remember that time Boe declared a fresh litter like they were his…what? Why are you looking at me like that."

Jack shook his head remembering that podcast as well, Face of Boe and his babies.

Holy shit.

There had been a toy rabbit in the background.

And a tiger.


	26. Chapter 26

26

The hanging sign says 'Entering a Slice of Paradise, Only by appointment'

A romantic turn-off used exclusively for parking. A river gushes by. Crickets chirp. The trees blow in the autumn wind. A single car sits on the lonely road. The muffled sound of a young couple making out drifts through the streamed up windows.

A teenage boy's hand is under a teenage girl's shirt, gently massaging her breast. He pulls his hand out from under her shirt and places it on her bare knee.

As he starts to slide his hand up her leg, she grabs his hand and gently pulls it away. She places it back on her breast, sliding it under her shirt.

We pull back. Keira and Rod, two healthy sixteen year olds, are passionately making out in the proverbial back seat of a big American car.

Rod smiles seductively, kisses Keira, and places his hand back on her knee. Once again, she stops him, this time just squeezing his hand tightly.

"No." she whispers.

He doesn't give up easy. He playfully wrestles his hand free and slides it under her skirt. She grabs his hand again.

"I said no."

"But you don't really mean it." He struggles to free his hand.

"Yes I do. Keep it in your pants Rod." She snarls and he gives up, aggravated.

"Maybe it won't stay in."

"Maybe you better just drive me home."

He starts the car, glares at her for a second, then turns it off. "Let me just ask you a serious question first."

"What?"

"Aren't you worried you could die a virgin?" he asks.

She sarcastically answers "Yeah. I'm extremely worried about that. It's right up there with global warming."

"On our way home, drunken Cooter could hit us head on and send us flying through the windshield. Terminate us instantly. We'd never experience what it means to make love." He points out hopefully.

"If sheep don't count."

"That wasn't me ..."

"I know. I'm kidding you." She laughs at his face "Chill out."

"Well I'm trying to be real here and you're mocking me." He slumps as he realises there will be no hanky-panky tonight.

Keira is softening "I'm sorry, but you're not going to die a virgin Rod."

.

.

.

There is someone around the bend, hidden from sight. Someone is watching them. It's probably a psychopath.

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

Rod leans in and starts kissing Keira again.

"I don't wanna take that chance." Rod whispers "I want my first time to be with you."

She kisses him back. He slides his hand under her skirt again.

"Stop it."

He doesn't.

"Rod!"

Exasperated, he snarls "You're being unfair."

"Unfair?!"

"Yes. Unfair to me." He begins to overpower her. This is quickly turning into date rape. She scratches him savagely across the face. This catches his attention. He jumps back, cut slightly, surprised.

She opens the car door and quickly escapes. She runs away from the car, down the road, very upset. Rod catches himself. He looks at his bloodied face in the rear view mirror and realizes what he's done.

He starts up the car.

Keira runs down the road alone, still very upset.

Rod pulls up next to her and rolls down his window.

"Keira! I'm sorry."

She pays no attention to him.

"Please get back in the car, Keira."

She turns and heads down a path into the dark woods, purposely going where he can't follow.

Rod, frustrated, hits the steering wheel and floors it.

Keira heads deeper into the woods. When she finally stops to catch her breath and wipe away her tears, she hears someone approaching her. Suddenly, the footsteps stop. Keira senses that someone is watching her.

"Rod?"

No answer.

"Is that you Rod?"

Still no answer. A little frightened, she starts to walk again. Again she hears the footsteps following her. She stops again. Whoever is out there stops too. She looks around in every direction.

"Come out Rod." She demands "This stalker bull shit ain't gonna work with me!"

No answer. Even the birds have stopped chirping.

"Rod? You're freaking me out. Game's over. I lose. Come out and we'll fuck."

She hears the footsteps behind her and quickly turns around. She sees the silhouette of someone standing a few feet away.

The wind picks up. Keira realizes it isn't Rod. All she can see is that whoever is there is carrying a small gun in one hand and a very long, jagged, spear in the other.

Keira starts to run. The killer starts after her.

Rod is sitting in his car at the edge of the woods, waiting for her to appear. He checks his watch.

Keira runs for the edge of the woods but she isn't quite fast enough to elude her pursuer.

"Help!"

The killer catches Keira from behind and savagely smashes her head against a tree, cracking a branch. Keira falls to the ground, dazed.

Rod sits up in his seat, thinking he's heard something

Keira, half conscious, bleeding from the head, is dragged back deeper into the woods.

Rod gets out of the car and cautiously moves to the edge of the dark woods.

The woods are pitch black.

"Keira?"

" **ROD!"**

The killer kicks Keira in the side, instantly shutting her up. He gags her and ties her to a tree trunk. She struggles, but she's no match for the killer.

Rod charges through the woods, desperately looking for any sign of Keira.

Keira's right hand is raised above her head and placed, palm out, against a tree trunk.

Rod searches for Keira, his flashlight jaggedly cutting the darkness.

The gun shoots something into the centre of Keira's outstretched palm.

Rod stops and frantically looks around, knowing he's fighting a losing battle.

"Keira?!"

Keira screams out in pain, even through the gag, as her hand is secured to the tree.

Rod hears her muffled cry and runs toward the sound.

Keira's left hand is now placed up against a different tree.

Keira is stretched out between two trees, gagged, one hand nailed to each tree. She almost looks crucified.

Rod roars with horror and anger as he starts to run towards the attacker

The full moon looks down on the town.

Roars fill the night as screams dwindle.


	27. Chapter 27

27

Ianto looked dispassionately at the mess, then turned to throw up as Jack poked it with a stick.

"His first transformation" Jack said softly to the men standing silently waiting, "You must be proud. He defended his young intended mate as well as caught someone we didn't even know had managed to breach the bubble. Well done. Rod deserves acknowledgement as a good soldier."

"He is the son of my sister" the growl of the Were was deep as he looked as the mess Jack is fiddling with, "He is my ward since his father fell in battle many moons ago. Keira his hopeful."

Ianto was in control now, his hands holding the huge belly as his coat flapped back and all eyes went to him with wonder as he stretched his back.

"Rod? I remember him. Good boy" Ianto nodded, "He is a quick learner. Maybe Kara would like…. What was her name again?"

"Keira"

Both men shared a look as the name sank in and Jack crouched again, this time pulling at the limbs until he found a scrap of something in the flesh of one torn mess of meat and shredded fabric.

"This was a VM before Rod destroyed it in his rage" Jack stood and faced Ianto, "He didn't activate to get away. Couldn't? Or knew he would go splat anyway."

"So he didn't come by it either" Ianto frowned as he looked up at the sky, the bubble invisible to the naked eye yet his 'other' saw the slight glimmer of protection. "He got in somehow."

"We check all vehicles, all visitors with a rigid finality" another Were bristled and Ianto waved a hand distractedly as the growling did little to concern him.

"No, I don't think he came in the usual way. Was he already here?" Ianto turned again to face the town, "Census time? We need every name, a town map with each house checked and every person accounted for."

"They might not like that" the Sheriff warned uneasily as he looked at the remains again.

"Look, we have little choice. Either we have a breach or he was here before the bubble came down, in which case he is probably not alone. If there is no one else and no sign of somewhere he was hiding, like an abandoned house or something, we will know he used a loophole we've overlooked." Ianto was calm but Jack watched those long fingers pat the bump.

"I agree with Ianto" he stepped forward to take attention off Ianto, the idea of them all looking at the naked skin that was visible under the tunic seemed to be so annoying to both of them.

"A house to house." The Sherriff sighed, "Any with no one in them checked for signs of vagrancy occupation."

"Yes, we will tell them what happened, this is not a hunt, it is a protective search. Make that clear, we want them safe. All of us safe" Jack nodded as Ianto turned to waddle to the jeep.

"He shouldn't be out" Gino nodded at him and Jack sighed as he agreed, Kai due any day now and Ianto supposed to be on bed rest.

"Where is she?"

Gino knew who he was talking about and he canted his head, sniffing the breeze, "She is about ten minutes away, Willem with her on foot. She is tracking the way he came, might help if she can turn to track the way back too. If there was a breach."

"Well, I trust her tracking skills, as I trust that of your people" Jack slapped him on the shoulder, "Maybe put a word out to the Bigs? See if they heard or saw anything?"

The mention of the big foots made some shift uncomfortably from foot to foot but the old Were who had been silent finally spoke, his voice guttural showing he preferred Were Talk, "I will go."

"Thank you Tomlin" Jack nodded, "They will listen to you. You speak plain, no need to flouncing today. Yes, you are a good choice."

He drifted into the foliage around them and was gone, Ianto tooting the horn as he yelled out that he needed to pee god damned the bloody lot of them and their perfect bladders.

"Due soon?" the Sherriff snorted with mirth, "God, he's got a mouth on him."

"Yeah, any day" Jack grinned back happily, "He can't wait to get him out of him, apparently he now thinks Kai has teeth and is gnawing at him."

Sniggering at the image and more than one Were groaned with sympathy, each remembering their own mates in the final stages.

"I will go meet them on the trail" Gino said after a moment's thought, "The name thing. I see now."

Jack nodded, heading for the Jeep before Ianto hit the horn again and he knew it would only be around the bend to let him out to pee on the side of the road.

Kai was gonna be a big boy.


	28. Chapter 28

28

Ianto is on the daybed like a good boy, half-pie hoping Jack will pat his head before leaving so he can bite him but Jack can see how pissed he is so leans in for a kiss.

"I won't be long love, please behave" Jack begs and Ianto grunts as he looks out at the Were standing on the patio watching the water.

"There are two at the front and another at the side" Jack is pointing, "Him there. You are well covered and I know the thought of Kara out there is driving you mad, I will go check on her."

Ianto nods and settles more as Kai shifts as well, the pain he has been feeling in his lower back easing.

"Good boy" he whispers as he strokes the bump. "That's better. Love you little bugger bum. Yeah."

The storm shutters will go up soon, the renovations about done with tools still strewn about and Ianto is relieved to have some quiet... until a rapping starts at the patio doors and he sighs glancing over there, only to find it's the solid door to the stairs being rapped at. Darkness descending and Ianto sighs, he has to turn on some lights.

The Were is gone from the patio so it must be him, fucksake. Levering himself up he waddles to the door and he opens it to look at the man standing there in plain black clothing.

Ianto suddenly gets it and tries to slam the door closed but the Agent is too fast, sliding a hand and foot in, pushing his way into the house.

Ianto fights to push the door shut but he can't. The Agent is stronger. The Agent's hand gropes for the lock latch.

Ianto frantically looks around for a weapon and spots an electric screwdriver sitting on the bench, something he would have moved if he had seen it earlier. He grabs for it with one hand as the Agent pushes harder.

Ianto drills the Agent's elbow.

The Agent screams and lets go. Ianto slams the door shut, double locking it.

Ianto runs to the front and double locks the front door.

Ianto picks up a phone but it's dead. He looks around. Where are the Weres?

He notices a shadow move across the back window. The Agent hasn't left. The Agent seems to be following him.

Ianto grabs a baseball bat from the closet. The Agent's shadow appears outside.

Ianto runs into the kitchen, grabs a knife. The window above him breaks. The Agent is right outside.

Ianto runs into the dining room, not sure where to go. Suddenly the window breaks there. The Agent is stalking him from the outside decking.

The house is under siege and Ianto is trapped in it. He runs from room to room, turning the lights out Tosh had automatically turned on but windows break wherever he goes. It's terrifying. He looks at the knife in his hand and snorts, placing it down and reaching for a drawer and the waiting gun as he whispers to Tosh that she needs to send an alert. No lights, if this man is Agency he doesn't know the layout as well as Ianto, this might be his only advantage here as the shadows lengthen.

Suddenly there is a silence.

Ianto stops whispering. He realizes that the Agent must be climbing in somewhere. Ianto isn't sure what to do. He hears something in the family room.

Ianto enters.

The window is broken. The curtains flap in the breeze. He moves toward it, wondering whether it's safe to climb out. He looks in the mirror. In the mirror, Ianto can see the Agent's shoes peeking out from under the drapes. The Agent's in the room. The drapes start to move.

Ianto turns around and swings the bat, hitting the Agent squarely in the head, sending him to the ground, pulling the drapes down.

He fires, the bullets ricochet and he knows body armour is his enemy now. Aim for the head. The man is almost up and Ianto can't get a clean shot in the dark.

Ianto tears for the front door. Ianto's too nervous to unlock the front door. No time for those locks. He hears the Agent coming so he heads upstairs.

Ianto scampers up the staircase but he's not fast enough. The Agent grabs his leg through the wooden slatted banister starts pulling him off the staircase, breaking the wooden slats as he lands on his stomach with a whoosh of pain. Ianto grabs one of the jagged slats and rams the sharp end into the Agent's hand, freeing himself.

Ianto charges up the stairs and closes the door and locks it.

The Agent starts kicking it in.

Ianto opens the small round window to climb out on the roof.

The door starts to splinter.

Ianto tries to wriggle his way out but it's tight.

Behind him he hears the door splintering open.

Ianto squeezes through and grabs hold of the chimney, using it to pull himself out.

The Agent's hand grabs Ianto's leg just as Ianto's pulling himself free. The Agent closes the window on Ianto's leg, trapping it inside. Out comes a razor sharp weapon.

Ianto fights for his freedom, tugging at the chimney, kicking and screaming: All of a sudden he feels a surge of pain. He screams and kicks with all his might, freeing himself, his momentum sending him rolling down the roof. He rolls off the roof, barely grabbing hold of the gutter, hanging from it.

The gutter starts to break.

Above him he can hear the Agent coming out onto the roof.

The Agent's silhouette hovers above, ready to grab him.

Ianto knows he has no choice.

Ianto lets go of the gutter.


	29. Chapter 29

29

Ianto is on the daybed as the sound of hammering and the electric screwdriver can be heard, the windows being boarded up until glass can be procured in the morning.

The two Were that had caught him when he fell are unable to leave him, their sense of duty and shame strong as they crouch in Wolf form by the bed, snarling with rage at being tricked as the Agent had approached from the water.

The water.

Ianto glanced that way again, saddened to hear the Were standing out there to protect him had met a gory end. He also knew the Were Pack were talking, their howls echoing in the hills as they called to the others to come witness.

Kai couldn't wait anymore, the fall down the stairs had hurt and Ianto was now terrified that his little one had been injured as he panted though another pain.

"Come on Jack" he snarled, "I can't wait much longer."

"What needs?" the woman barked, her face one of extreme concentration as her hands shakily felt the stomach, a knife waiting by her knees as she knelt on the bedding.

"My mate and daughter, they are coming. If I can hold on … gods it hurts … is he still OK in there?" Ianto groaned, "Can you hear his heart?"

"Strong" she agreed, "Both of heart strong for this."

"Good" Ianto felt a slight easing and he glanced in the direction of the open doors, lights flicking around as a vehicle roared towards them. "Thank fuck."

"IANTO"

"Yes" Ianto snarled, "You called? Fuckwit."

Jack bounded in then stalled as he saw Ianto on the bed with an elderly Were crouching theren the blade now in her teeth as she prepared to cut.

"Don't just stand there ya fucking Twat, get over here and greet your son" Ianto roared then flopped back and screamed with pain. Jack ran to the bed and dropped to his knees. Nodding to the woman who then calmly cut into the pale flesh to expose the baby who gushed out like a seal popping.

Jack struggled to pull a blanket around the baby as Ianto coughed softly and went limp, the woman making a sound of dismay as Kara ran into the house screaming for her Taddy.

"Here, take him" Jack thrust the baby at her and clambered into the soiled bedding to gather Ianto into his arms and hold him. Ianto came back with a soft gasp, his hands grabbing at his stomach now taut and washboard as it had once been, his fingers sliding in the blood.

"Shit" he choked, sitting up. "Where is he? Is he OK?"

"Here Taddy" Kara placed the baby in his arms and looked down at the woman who was wiping Ianto's' stomach with a look of intense interest then she pulled back the wadding on the leg to stare at Ianto's pristine skin there too, the knife wound no longer there.

She sat back and then looked at Ianto again, this time canting her head as she scented him.

"Stop it, I'm not a Trickster" Ianto said softly as he showed relief at his little one not having any obvious breaks or bruises, "This is an engineered mutation. I am like Jack, able to come back."

She nodded as she saw none of her menfolk reacting to his regeneration and Ianto stood, looking again out at the water, then down at the little one staring silently up at him.

"KEV" Ianto yelled as he walked out to the patio and the man breached the water to lunge up onto the decking, his face one of rapture as he rushed to see the newling.

"Kev, I think they are coming under the bubble, through the water. Does it touch the bottom?" Ianto asked as the man looked back at his domain and frowned.

"I think so, maybe there is a hole…a breach. Yes, it may be so" he noded, "I will have my children check."

"Thank you" Ianto smiled, "You are the first to meet Kai."

"Blessings little one" he hissed as he watched the little grey storms stare back, not the blue of Kara's, the angry look of his Dam. His lips were pursed and his father's, along with the small chin. The button nose that of his Dam.

"Perfect" Kev sighed happily, "We will rejoice for you."

Thank you" Ianto bowed, "Now keep him safe."

Kev slid back into the water, his skin shuddering as it shimmered back into a crocodilian form and he took off. Ianto watched the water move and swallow the movement down then he went back in to place his son back into Jack's arms.

"I need a shower, I smell. Also, I want all this mess cleaned up, all of it no matter what it takes" Ianto snarled and Jack nodded, seeing his mate ready to suit and boot.

They had no idea Kai was here, that they had not only brought on the birth of the one they were after but they had also woken the Dragon as Ianto stalked to the shower with a glare of doom at everyone.

Ianto was right royally pissed!


	30. Chapter 30

30

Kara had the lower quadrant along the shoreline, her Taddy still in baby mode and had agreed to wait until they had something solid to go on. She had a suspicious notion that he had something going on under the water … literally. She also knew when he was ready he would tell her and her Dad what he was thinking, baby brain gone with his reset.

This house to check was more like a fishing cottage, derelict and judging from the dead gardens and overgrown lawn vacant for some time. She threw the map onto the seat as she slid form the driver's side and Willem bounced around from the passenger seat with his nose wrinkling, "Just smell rotting fish."

Kara and Willem walked towards the abandoned house, her keen eye noticing the freshly cleared path and she went to warn Willem when the sonic boom of a gun had him flying back to and in a heap and she screamed his name as the door swung open and an Agent advance.

"Really?" she sneered knowing Willem was merely winded, his Were self having absorbed the pulse from the weapon.

He swung and she countered with her arm flung up to stop the downward swing of his blade, it connecting with her own blade still sheathed in her sleeve. His face showed his surprise as she snarled and instead of taking a knee against the jarring pain she swung into it, her fist connecting with his jaw as he grunted and tried to regroup.

He seized her arm and swung her up onto the hood of the jeep, his blade slamming into the metal as she rolled from the savage downward stab and he again showed momentary surprise as she kicked at him, His foot coming up to stomp at her and hitting the windshield her head had rested against as she tried to take in her surroundings.

She spat at him and he roared as he tried to get onto the hood after her, but she kicked out at him, forcing him to fall back onto his arse, her rolling still as her feet found the ground on the other side of the vehicle.

She moved around it as he picked himself up and she swept his feet back out from under him, trying to stab him with the now retracted blade but he finally gained momentum and rose as it grazed his hip making his yelp.

Her reply was a howl, loud and clear as she called to Willem for back-up and grinned at him "Wanna meet the kin?"

He blinked and then snarled as he launched himself at her again and she opened the car door his blade and arm going through the glass as she seized it on the other side of its entry, ramming it down in an effort to remove the knife, the gun in his other hand was not working and she knew it was clamped down on by an irate Ware that had surprised the Agent no end, finding future teach doesn't always combat the age old problem of crushing pressure.

He yanked back his arm and she dove into the back seat as he gaped as his bloody stump, Willem rising to spit out the hand and weapon. The Agent swung to leap in after her, her feet kicking against him as she screamed with rage and he felt blood, tasted it as he bit his own tongue from the impact of her foot on his chin.

"Bitch" he snarled as she laughed and sent him reeling back with her blade slamming into his neck several times, then he staggered back with his hand on his neck, blood spurting as he looked at her with open horror, her snarl feral as she advanced, aiming for his gut and he countered, seizing her hair as he swung her against the vehicle again, her grunt of pain giving him satisfaction.

Short lived mind, the teeth sinking into his throat stopped any further thought as Willem tore out his windpipe, jugular and most of the flesh so the spinal cord was exposed before the head fell forward and the man folded to convulse and die.

"I had him!" she roared angrily, "You could have stayed out of it!"

"You are mine and his hurts on you are hurts on me my love" Willem was not afraid of his raging mate, "It had gone long enough, he was clearly not going to take a knee. It was to the death and I was pissed that he drew blood."

"Yeah, I guess" she spat out some blood and winced as she looked down at her side, blood oozing from a wound.

"Come on, a quick swim to wash him off before we call it in? Your Tad will go mental when he hears but if he sees you hurt he might lose it" Willem advised and she nodded, walking down to let the water kiss it all away.

Something to be said for water.

No wonder Taddy loved it so.


	31. Chapter 31

31

Ianto stood with little Kai strapped on his chest like a little blobby tic thing, the tiny feet with teddy bear booties looking glaringly out of place against the plain ninja style clothing he was wearing while he walked slowly around the corpse.

Gone were the heebie-jeebies he had felt while pregnant, gone was the need to hurl as he looked dispassionately at the mess left by his daughter and her wonderful mate he loved wholeheartedly and would proudly call his son…sorry. Maybe a few hormones were wafting about.

"Anything?" he asked as Jack fiddled with the VM and Jack rose to show it to him.

"Not used in a couple of days, clearly outside the bubble so he's only been here since Saturday, right?" Jack frowned, "There must be a breach."

Ianto turned to watch Kev walk from the water his skin shimmering as he approached still in partly reptilian form and Ianto stepped forward to greet him as those strange green eyes with slits like a cat slid to look at the baby.

"Well?"

"You were right"

Willem stopped rubbing his chest where it still smarted from the pulse blast and canted his head to listen.

"Where was the breach?"

"We searched deep, along the floor of the bed and found a vehicle down there. Strange as it was fresh, like it had appeared there, not been washed there over time." Kev motioned out at the water, "The bubble had closed over it, around each side and it was like a tunnel between the two worlds."

"Shit" Ianto huffed, "anymore?"

"My children are still searching but this is all we have found, likely all we will find. My son has been to speak with the bigs, an entire sweep of the upper levels will be sought so if they had the same idea up there it will be discovered and stopped." Kev nodded.

"Well done, good thinking" Ianto praised as a scaled hand reached out to fold back the blanket inside the front pack and he crooned at the baby who was asleep. "So, you moved it?"

"No" Kev said happily, "We filled it with electric eels instead."

Ianto blinked and then started to laugh, "Evil."

"Yes, they will be asleep and docile until the door opens and then they will react to any intruders. I have hope those try to jump as you call it, imagine them arriving wet and covered in angry killer eels of doom" Kev sniggered, "Those trying to help them will get a sharp shot as well."

"They will likely kill the eels though" Ianto warned.

"Of no consequence, stupid thing are not mine. Their minds are primitive" he shrugged, "Those still here will travel though to outside the bubble and we will be rid of them one way or another. One of my children will watch and wait, then tell us so we can move the vehicle just inside the bubble, watch them seeing their tunnel and not being able to reach it."

"Good sound ideas" Ianto nodded, "Well done Kev. You make a good leutenant."

"Thank you" he smiled, "Little angel isn't he."

"He is perfect" Ianto gushed happily as Jack stopped fiddling with the body and rose, waking over.

"So … you think it will be soon?" Jack asked and as if in reply the water started to boil out in the distance, Kev laughing as he swung to watch.

It lasted for a few minutes and then went calm, only a muddy patch to show that they must be moving the wreak, then a crocodilian surged up onto the bank, his features shifting slightly to speak.

"Pop, we got one. He clamber out this side, the others poof away with eels, at least twenty gone. The other are furious and will wait on the other side of the bubble to see if one returns." His gnashing jaws were mesmerising, "It was grand."

"Yes it was" Kev laughed, "Well done boy, go tell the others we will eat well tonight, this one is done here too."

Two gators pushed ashore and Jack stepped back as he watched, "what is the difference between the crocodiles and the gators?"

"Temper" came the strange reply from more than one, then laughter.

"Cousins" Ianto supplied with a sage nod, "like different breeds but the same thoughts."

"Well put" Kev nodded, "I do not see the breeding anymore, just themselves. Funny how family grows on you."

Ianto hummed as he jiggled the baby who was shifting in the front pack, "family is not measured in blood or in looks, but in love."

"Come on love, on that note" Jack said softly, "Let's get him out of the wind."

They walked to their vehicles, Kara choosing to stomp to the stabbed Jeep as she rubbed her hands over the stabs and cracks in the bodywork, declaring it 'broke-in now' and driving off happily to get the windscreen repaired.

"Did you hear Willem say how she scolded him for trying to help her?" Jack said after a while, his pride evident as he grinned and tightened his grip on the strap, Ianto taking the corner like a manic.

"Yah, mad thing" Ianto smiled, the baby in the back sighing in his safe little capsule, not caring a jot about anything mad.

That made them family too.


	32. Chapter 32

32

Ianto was accepting visitors, something that went out like bloody jungle drums sounding or something as person after person arrived for a peek at the new family member, the Bigs startling everyone as they arrived with a live deer as a gift.

Ianto politely thanked them and asked that they release it so the baby can watch it eat the grass around the cottage at times. To his relief they seemed to find that a good decision. They said there had been more and they would ensure a path so they might wander freely around the cabin for the joy of the little one….so small he fit in the hand of one who gushed with glee when Kai smiled.

There were blankets, booties, clothing, toys and he was touched when some offered food and gifts for himself.

Kara had overseen the clean up and she and Jack were covertly checking out the VM … not. Ianto was ignoring them and letting them think they were really not noticeable with a little screwdriver digging about and squeaking now and then, the shock that had Jack slamming back in his chair making his daughter choke with mirth on her coffee.

Coffee.

Ianto's eyes widened and he shoved the baby at the nearest person, the Sherriff crooning with delight as he looked at the little fella now nestled in his arms, Ianto moving to his coffee machine where he caressed it and whispered affections before brewing his first coffee in forever.

"Oh gods" Jack whined as he smelt the special blend and soon everyone sat with the nectar of their own personal Welsh God.

"I never knew I could miss something so much" Ianto sighed happily.

"Tell me about it" Jack moaned around his own cup, "Oh gods, wonderful."

Ianto snorted softly and then rose to make up a bottle, no milk from him for little Kai unfortunately as the reset took it away but he wasn't worried, Kara proof that a bottle fed baby had ever chance of growing up to be a healthy little heathen. Let's face it, with immortals as parentals this little bean was going to be a bloody monster.

"So, do you think there are any more inside the bubble?" Doris couldn't help herself.

"Hopefully not but the Weres are still scouting the place. I will know by sundown" Ianto answered. "So far the sweep is clean bar Kara's hiccup."

"That's one word for it" Willem sorted, "At least we had a spare windscreen for that Jeep. Might be an idea to get a few more next time we go out."

"Just like a Harkness-Jones, use any weapon possible" Jack laughed, "The door window was smashed too, how many more of those do we have in storage?"

"We had brought an entire set with us so still one door window but as we usually have that down with the canopy off so I think we can be OK." Willem said as he considered, "That spare Jeep with the blown block can be butchered for parts too."

"Still, Torchwood can afford to provide some more vehicles for this area" Jack pointed out, "Maybe we need to do a recon of their vehicle pool?"

"Dad! Brills idea" Kara smiled, "Willem? Wanna go shopping in a secret underground facility with more tat than we could ever use?"

"But might want anyway just for…what did you call it love? Shits and giggles?"

"Exactly."

"Lord, there goes that Harkness Wonder-lust" Ianto sighed as Kara jiggled in her chair and grinned at him across the table, "I would say take your father with you but you would all return in bloody armoured tanks or something."

"Tanks?" Jack said with glee, "They have tanks? I never walked the entire place, tanks?"

"Oh lord, you have stoked the fire there" Doris giggled as Jack leaned in to help with their daughter's list, tapping his finger where she needed to add TANK to the list.

Ianto reclaimed his son and settled once more to feed him now, the bottle eagerly sucked down as Kai enjoyed staring meaningfully into his Dam's eyes.

Lovely little man.

Ianto sang softly as he rocked him and the place grew quiet as they all listened to the Welsh lullaby as it filled the house, Kara sighing as she settled into Willem's arms to enjoy the comfort as her Taddy's voice lulled her as it once had when she was so small.

Lovely.


	33. Chapter 33

33

The eels were still flopping as the men screamed and shot like maniacs, shooting one another as much as the eels.

They never noticed the piggyback on their stream.

He moved swiftly, humming under his breath as he skipped along the gantry, his boots almost silent as he headed for the huge tower in the centre of the room, the gantry letting him slide behind it to become hidden from the madness below.

Star Wars, that's the name of the movie he was thinking of, they had watched them the other night, a marathon of giggles. He remembered the Luke dude fighting the black cloaked dude…yeah. Amazing how even way back then they knew these would one day power an entire base.

He felt in his pocket and removed the little piece of plastic, staring at it with renewed amazement as he crouched, now searching the myriad of holes for one this little archaic piece of tat might fit into, trying a few before a little light on the end of it started to pulse, showing it was connecting.

What had he called it? USB? A Trojan horse. He had looked this up in his data base, the only thing he had found about Trojans had been those silly birth control gloves. He made a mental note for an explanation.

He waited for a moment and then the light stopped, it went dead. He pulled it out as lights on the tower now started to turn off, fanning out from the source of the stick. Shit it worked faster than he thought it would. He rose and looked down at the chaos still ensuing as men writhed along with the eels, blood spilling from those wounded by their own colleagues, some also down due to the shocks from the engaged dying eels.

All this tech, all this future and ya know what?

 _We humans are such fucktards aren't we?_

John Hart snorted as he placed the little stick back in his pocket and raised his VM to check the coordinates before winking away.

Might keep that little stick thing.

Handy.

.

.

.

.

Kara was sitting in her Jeep listening to the radio, her fingers tapping on the steering wheel as she sang along.

"You have your Daddy's voice"

She turned to watch John Hart appear from the shrubbery, his look that of a satisfied man. Now she knew why Taddy had asked her to wait here "Hello there Captain."

"Mind you, your Taddy has a lovely voice too, you ever made them sing? Gods their screams would … sorry. Wrong path." He grimaced as she started to laugh and they took off at speed.

"Either in temper or pleasure, I have heard them scream Captain and believe me … it is terrifying" she informed him as she slowed and touched a little button pad in the visor like garage door opener, keying in a series of numbers so rapidly even his advanced sight could not keep up.

"What are you doing?"

"Making sure we don't splat" she said gaily as they zoomed thought he invisible bubble of protection and entered Paradise Cove.

"You are terrifying too" he assured her like a loving uncle, "Honest. I bet you could… what happened to the bonnet?"

"Stabby stabby" she sang and he blinked, then snorted as he shook his head.

"John, is there a way to scan for other VMs? Dad said no but I know you have a more modern hybrid on your wrist." She asked after a while, the greenbelt along the side of the road moving as Weres kept up with her, her mate one of them. He hummed as he said he would think about a way.

"What's it like?" he asked after a while.

"What?"

"Fucking one of them" he said sagely, "I love doggy sex, what's it like to have one that fucks back?"

"You know, that is really creepy" she roared with mirth, her head falling back as she turned the corner and he sighed as he wondered if she were as much a spitfire as her father had been at that age.

"See the one on the far end" she pointed as they halted and the Were emerged to line up like good sentries. "He's not bonded, they don't do the gay thing as much as we do. He has been scenting you."

"Ooooo" John shivered, "He's big."

"Yep, they all are" she said dreamily, channelling her father again as she smiled wistfully "Built."

John clambered out and swaggered over to the Were, "Let's see you in human form, but…ya know… I like this one too."

Ahhhhhhh….. a blonde.

Score.


	34. Chapter 34

34

"Are you sure?" Jack asked yet again as John reached for another treacle tart.

"It's a nice place, huge rooms and the wide hallways will suit Blondie when he's lumbering about in Wolf from" John replied then he licked the top of the tart.

"Wide….Blondie?" Jack turned to Ianto for clarification as a child might to their parental when confused.

"The house John had been staying in was a show home for a local company. It was to promote a house for someone handicapped, wide halls and doorways for a wheelchair or old person's walker and such. Blondie is Mack. The young Were who has taken to John with a passion" Ianto explained gently, "John is saying that although he was hiding there to wait for someone stupid enough to jump with a VM close to the edge of the bubble so he might follow them back to their source, he likes the house and would like to stay around, if only for some crazy wild sex… hopefully with teeth and bitey stuffs."

"Ah" Jack nodded then his eyes widened, "Shit, yeah? Mack? Wow, nice arse."

"Yeah" John agreed.

"Oi"

"Oh come on Holdfast, you know you've looked!" Jack snorted and John tried not to jump at the Boeshanninan title used. Wow. He knew this one had been special but…wow. Now more than ever he was pleased he had decided to bend to this man, obviously more than just a fancy. For Jack to use the term of a life partner…well…. Good. Good.

"Cariad, you now I love hands" Ianto whispered, "So…expressive."

"Ianto Harkness-Jones!" Jack scolded "I've seen you checking out arses."

"Well, everyone does and those who say they don't are fucking liars!" Ianto pouted then gasped as he glanced down at the sleeping baby, "Sorry Kai, Tadda was potty mouth. Gotta start that swear jar."

Jack softened as he watched Ianto croon to the little blob who was on that floppy beanie baby mode the little ones have when they really don't give a fuck.

"Here, I need to pee" Ianto rose and handed him to John who was momentarily terrified, then he glanced at Jack who didn't seem to care so he tried to hold the baby as carefully as possible sure that at any moment he would break or something. Jack followed his mate.

"What's wrong Cariad? Wanna hold it for me?"

"Cheeky bugger" Jack snorted, "No, I want to know if you are OK with John. I know he rubs you the wrong way."

"He does not rub me at all, nor shall he rub our daughter" Ianto huffed, "I know his proclivities with dogs and also knew the sight of the Weres would send him into overdrive. Do you have any idea how rare a gay Were is around these parts?"

Ianto swung to look at Jack who blinked slowly, then his eyes widened, "Whoa! Wait…. Kara? You….him…..oh. No. No, no, nope. No. not gonna happen. No way!"

Ianto snorted, "John sees her as an equal, have you not noticed the way they talk? Jack, she is on the same level as an Agent and he responds as such. It was only a matter of time before he challenged Willem and he would either wind up dead or in the family. If Willem were not in the mix she might have already looked at him with interest, such a bad boy."

Jack's face started to flare as he raged and Ianto rolled his eyes as he waited for the tantrum to peter out.

"Mack is lovely, kind and also stronger than sin. Not to mention he likes a bit of rough" Ianto said calmly, "John has a wrestle partner who will knock him seven days 'til Sunday if he strays. As you know, Weres do not share."

"You…you cheeky Welshman" Jack snorted.

"The house is also on the other side of town so we will have both points of the cove covered. The VMs can scan the bubble interior for any and all activity so we do not get another Agent in here without something registering." Ianto shrugged as he washed his hands, "Besides … John deserves a little time to decide if he wants to rejoin life, he can't pretend all the time ya know. Deep down I think he wants to be loved."

"Of course he does, in the dark he was always cuddly and so…childlike. Affection is something he hid"

"Like you" Ianto pointed out.

Jack smiled as he leaned in to steal a kiss.

"Once" Jack whispered, "Not anymore."

Ianto reached out to stroke Jack's cheek with a freshly washed hand, the scent of the soap crisp.

"That's right Cariad, affection here is always free."


	35. Chapter 35

35

"How long will you be gone?" Ianto asked with a frown, "Overnight?"

"Tad, Anwen doesn't ask for much and this is her Hen's Night" Kara sighed.

"Well, is her mother going to be there?"

Kara resisted the eye roll as she turned to gape at him "Taddy, it's a Hen's Night not a bloody sleepover PJ party."

"Well…it's outside the bubble as well as outside Torchwood" Ianto was nervous now as he glanced over at Jack but Jack missed it as he clucked at the little sleeping Kai in his arms.

"Willem can go with" he said as he cooed, "Isn't the Stag Night for Fergus in the same area? Be nice for them, as a couple."

"Two separate parties full of booze…drugs…"

"Tad! It's a Hen's Night, not a weekend at Cancun!" she spluttered, getting increasingly annoyed and Jack did catch that as he glanced up.

"Hon, Tad might have a point. If there were a problem, say a drunk stripper or something… oh right. You can break his neck, Yan love she's right. All that training? You really think she would forget she is our daughter. Can't cotton wool her all her life" Jack went back to pulling faces at a solemn Kai who had woken with the voices.

Ianto was seething and Willem could clearly see it. As could his brother who politely left the room so he was not in the line of fire, either directly or indirectly. This was not going to end well.

"Then at least let Tosh know where you are going so she can monitor you though their security system where you will be staying" Ianto tried to be reasonable…honest….no hormonal jags….he was being super calm as he scrunched the 'Blankie' robe in his hands, "I will be happy to look away if her and Gwen are…"

"Oh for the love of all things explosive!" Kara stood and closed the argument, "Gwen? Tad, you are the one who told me all those stories about your workmate who stuffed things up and almost got you all killed so many times if you hadn't quietly saved her arse. You think I didn't recognise her once it all fell into place?"

"Did she?" Jack finally looked at his mate and grimaced at the temper in his eyes, (the flare of slight madness only the Welsh have at the old footy match or down the local after closing time has been called in Jack's opinion).

Ianto looked away.

Fine.

Willem realised his brother had the right idea and he scooped up the dog, "Sydney needs weasels"

.

.

.

.

.

"Tad?"

"Have a good time" Ianto said from his daybed, snuggled in with the baby under his robe like he couldn't not see her out and she felt a spoke of annoyance, then felt terrible as she wondered if it might be a smidge of jealousy that her baby brother had his attention.

Well, she didn't want to be an only child right? She also saw the way her Dad was looking at back him as they walked out and guessed there has been some hushed words. Damn. She had caused an argument and she knew her Tad would have conceded reluctantly "Thanks Dad."

"He isn't sore at you, he is just so worried" Jack crooned as he stroked her face, leaning into the Jeep for a kiss, "He likes control I am sure you have noticed this fact. Here in our Slice of Paradise he can relax and not worry as we are all covered by each other, anyone foreign sticks out. Out there in the big bad world everyone is a potential Hitman or Agent."

"I know, but it will be fine" she sighed, "besides, I didn't want to say it as he's clearly pissed at us as it is but I wanted to go looking for a wedding dress, you know, start the ball rolling there."

Jack stalled, knowing Ianto would be horribly hurt to learn she had gone without him, him. The son of a master… bull-shitter. "Sweetie, I think he always thought he would shop for that with you, you know since there is no Mama to go with. He was you Mother as well ya know."

"And he won't let me forget it" she laughed, "It's not like I am buying one, just looking at options. I am not going to every boutique and trying on ten dresses to please him. When I find what I want I will take him and he will see me in it and let me have it, simple."

Jack felt annoyed on his mate's behalf, "You make it sound like he's a Bridezilla or something. When Gwen had the nostr…"

"Please not that again. I know… he got the dress…she looked great…covered in blood…" Kara waved a hand and Jack saw himself, clear as day he saw why Ianto sometimes looked pained before he could school his features and he wondered how often he brushed him off when he was trying to make a point…like he just had earlier.

Shit.

"Kara, be careful, call like he asked and for fucksake come home" Jack said as he stepped back and she gunned the engine, taking off as Willem waved in the jump seat.

"Sometimes I think he should have smacked her on occasion when a pup" a deep voice muttered and Jack snorted as he turned to look at Gino.

"You know … me too."


	36. Chapter 36

36

Kara is waiting for Willem who wandered a couple of streets over to get some pizza, gods that man and his bloody stomach. She grins at herself for sounding just like her Taddy scolding her father.

The Jeep is still where they left it back in the three hour car park but it's nice to walk, her face turning up to enjoy the burst of sun as she leans on the side of the building, the brickwork holding the heat and she hopes Willem is not too far away, his warmth like no other.

Gods, that sounds sappy" she says out loud, revelling in the feeling he gives her. Now she knows what her Taddy gave up for her, now she understands how much she owes him.

The sound of an engine revving and she opens her eyes to see a yellow taxi cab racing across the intersection.

Right at her.

Kara narrowly avoids being crushed between the taxi and the building. With fluid grace, Kara rolls to safety, landing on her feet. With a quick look back over her shoulder at The Agent in his crumpled taxi, Kara runs.

The Agent steps out of his taxi, seemingly unhurt by the crash. He looks around, but can't see Kara anywhere on the street.

The Agent runs for an iron-wrought staircase that leads up to a Pedestrian Bridge that hangs over the Street. At the top of the Pedestrian Bridge, The Agent looks up and down the street.

He spots Kara, running through the crowd of Pedestrians.

The Agent leaps off the Pedestrian Bridge, arcing through the air with superhuman force.

The Agent tackles the running Kara to the ground, slamming into her with a tremendous impact.

But Kara is quick. She takes the hit and spins The Agent around with a martial-arts kick. The kick sends The Agent crashing through the front window of a Bakery.

The Agent comes crashing through the display window, landing in a pile of sticky buns and broken glass. But seemingly unfazed, he just picks himself up and walks back out the front door.

Kara stands in a crowd of bystanders assuring them she is fine as she tries to brush herself down, watching in surprise as The Agent exits the Bakery, his expression fierce.

The Agent immediately spots Kara and comes after her.

Kara bolts away, running to a Herbalist Store across the street.

Jars of different shapes and sizes containing a variety of medicinal herbs and other such substances are on display. Kara runs into the Herbalist Store, making her way through the displays.

The Agent leaps right through the Herbalist Store's front display window in a hail of shattered glass. He tackles Kara, crashing through the jars on display. The Agent slams Kara to the ground. He grabs Kara's head and smashes it against the floor once, then twice.

The Agent tears open Kara's blouse. He pulls out the necklace around her neck, the little Welsh Dragon. While The Agent inspects the carving, Kara's hand quietly moves to a large glass jar lying next to them.

Kara smashes the glass jar over The Agent's face.

She grabs the carving out of The Agent's hand, scrambles to her feet, and runs.

Kara bursts out of the Herbalist Store's back door, out into a small, cluttered Alley. Kara lands hard in the debris, but she rolls with the fall and is back up on her feet, running. The Alley ends in a high Wall with a Billboard on top of it. Wall has a railing along one side. Kara vaults over the railing and keeps running. She knows Willem is coming, a change in the air as he enters the street close by, she tries to call out but her breath is laboured so she gives in to faith that he will catch up.

The Alley is crowded with workers unloading crates out of the loading dock of the Fish Factory.

A cop walks by. Kara runs past the Cop, just barely bumping into him. But as Kara passes him, she deftly grabs the Cop's gun from his holster. The Cop doesn't even notice his gun is missing as he turns, annoyed to see Kara racing away.

"Hey!" he calls to her with annoyance.

"Sorry" she calls back over her shoulder as she listens for the telltale chuffing of her mate, like a locomotive.

He is barely one street over now, coming closer.

Come on love.


	37. Chapter 37

37

The Agent runs out of the Herbalist Store's back door. He runs directly at the high Wall.

The Agent leaps up, scrambling right up the side of the Wall. He hauls himself up the Billboard, until he's standing at the top of the Billboard itself.

The Agent looks down below and spots Kara running into the loading dock of the Fish Factory.

The Agent leaps off the Billboard.

The Cop looks up, stunned to see The Agent leaping towards him.

The Agent lands on top of a moving dolly of crates, crushing the crates on it. The worker pushing the dolly falls back, shocked. The Agent leaps off the dolly and keeps chasing after Kara.

The Cop fumbles for his gun. It's not there. The Agent smashes the Cop out of the way as he pursues Kara.

The Cop goes to shout but it hit by the powering Werewolf and the poor Cop flies into a pile of crates, knocked out. The Agent follows Kara into the Factory.

The Fish Factory is filled with neat rows of ice filled crates. Factory Workers mill about, transporting the fish through the Factory.

Kara hides between the rows of ice crates. She checks the Cop's gun to make sure it's loaded. It is.

Kara stops, sensing something.

In one fluid motion, Kara suddenly spins, turning in the other direction and firing the gun.

We follow the bullet as it rockets through the Factory. It flies along, until we see Kara's intended target.

The Agent comes through the Factory, running at Kara. The bullet flies directly at him.

The bullet hits The Agent in the shoulder. But it only seems to anger The Agent further. He keeps running at Kara.

The Agent leaps at Kara. Kara fires again. But The Agent dodges the bullet and it hits the concrete wall.

The Agent rolls with his dodge and races off into the stacks of packaged fish.

Kara tries to track The Agent's movements through the stacks. She hears the sound of The Agent moving but can't see him. Her gun is ready. She searches around.

Suddenly, there's a rush of movement behind her. Kara dodges just as The Agent's fist comes flying out. The Agent grunts as Willem finally connects and slams him into the frozen wall of fish.

Kara is backed into a dead end in the Factory. She turns to face The Agent, gun ready.

But Willem is on him too quickly. He lunges at The Agent, hoisting him over his head and slamming him down on a conveyer belt.

The Agent grabs at Kara's leg and drags Kara along the conveyer belt. Focused only on her like Willem was just a bug but Kara grabs a hanging chain to steady herself. With a quick kick, Kara uses the momentum to flip The Agent over.

Willem roars with rag as he snags The Agent's arm that is still reaching for Kara and he clamps down as he flicks his head back. The Agent flies through the air towards a large meat hook style pick wedged into the wall. The sharp point of the ice pick punches right through The Agent's torso, impaling him. He is immediately killed.

Kara leans up against the wall, steadying herself.

"Are you OK?" he rumbles.

"Yeah, I will be even better once we are moving" she replies as she checks her necklace is still in her pocket and they head for the car park as Kara looks back at the carnage, sirens already nearing.

Willem grabs a jacket on the back of a chair at an outside Café and throws it around her shoulders to cover the torn blouse she had forgotten about.

"Your fathers are gonna have a conniption" he says as he now pulls out a hat he has snatched from a market stall and he shoves it at her, "Cover that hair love, you are easily recognisable to any others who might have been called."

"Shit" she tucks her hair up into the cap and glances around, "How the hell did he find us?"

"I don't know… we don't have the vehicle so not a tracker." He is calm now as he slows their pace to make it less obvious that they are fleeing, his hand slides to the small of her back, "fixed event?"

"Must be" she agrees, "Whatever it is, lets get out of here."

"Why did he want your necklace?" Willem asks as they finally manage to head for the safety of the Torchwood Base and she pats her pocket with a soft frown.

"I don't know babe, it was a gift from Taddy when I was small. I don't think it's anything important" she shakes her head "He seemed….demonic."

"Something was really off, yeah" Willem frowns as he drives the Jeep, a rarity in itself "He kept going after you shot him, he should have gone down when I hit him…. Like he was on PCP or something."

"Well, we will soon see what if in the blood" she says as she glances at the hand laying at her feet glad she had thought to grab it up.

Either he was on something…. Or he IS something.


	38. Chapter 38

38

"What do you think?" Kara asked as she leaned on the counter.

"That it's time you called them and let them know what's happened" Anwen answered as she watched from the sofa, "You know they need to know."

"Tad will lose his shit in that silent way while Dad will go ape-shit" Kara sighed, "I am safe here, we will go home after the Hens Night."

"Kara…" Anwen started and then squeaked as the air shimmered near Kaka and John Hart appeared, looking around with interest.

"Fuck!" Willem leapt up, "He just jumped in. I thought we had a shield around that."

"Obviously not chicken lickin' I felt a disturbance in the force. I like those movies, have you watched them? Ianto has the set…what." John crooned, "So… you know what that means don't you?"

"My perentals are probably incoming" Kara sighed

"Noooo" John sing-songed, "It means I might not be the only animal here."

They stared at him as he winked, "Bet you've not scanned for another VM have you princess."

"Ahhhh shit" she flopped as John laughed and flipped open his VM, starting a scan of the complex.

"I've just spoken with Jack, he's going to break it to….son of a bitch!" Gwen walked in and looked at the man in the middle of the room, "How the hell did you get in here."

"The security isn't working" Kara said softly, "He's scanning. John?"

"Yep" he said after a few moments, "Three little rats in the walls."

"You have got to be shitting me" Willem rose to turn in a slow circle, "They're in here?"

"Close, within 500 metres, closing probably" John grinned, his Katana making a hissing sound as he drew if from it's scabbard, "Time to dance little one."

"Damn it all to hell" Kara ran to the kitchen area of the accommodation and turned on the stove, slamming pots of water on the hotplates, as well as one full of cooking oil. She then flicked the kettle and leaned against the counter, her arms out, "OK. Call them in. Let's dance."

John tapped some buttons then three confused agents appeared in the room, Gwen swinging at the first one who was close to her, her fist and foot hitting him square to slam him into the wall, John stabbing him as he crowed.

Willem chose another, Anwen cursing as she leapt over the sofa to find safety and Kara seized the boiled kettle, throwing it on the woman coming at her, then the cooking oil. As the woman stood screaming she chose more water.

Water is good for burns, right?

She was enjoying herself now as she looked around and seized a knife from the block, slamming it into the woman's face with a snarl if glee.

Willem had hold of the man who was still screaming as those huge jaws severed the leg, spitting it out as Willem sat back to watch the man clutch at his thigh and scream some more.

John stalked over and leaned in "Hello honey."

"I don't believe it, are there any more?" Gwen asked, shaking her hand as she tried to ease her knuckles, damn if she wasn't getting old.

"Nope, just these" John answered as he rose, "I know Jack would like to play but I think he will expire soon so…"

"Do it" Kara ordered and John knelt.

"You listen to me and focus. Talk to me and tell me the truth and I will end it. Mislead and I will make sure this death takes so very long" he hissed, the man looking at him with fear. "You know who I am, you know my training. You doubt this?"

"No"

"Why are you after Karaline"

The man blinked and glanced at her, "The Welsh Dragon, we are to get the Welsh Dragon."

"My necklace?" she pulled it out and showed it to him, the man nodding.

"We were told the Welsh Dragon would be with you, we were to get him."

"Him" John looked at the necklace and then started to laugh, "You stupid dicks, you didn't research anything did you. You took it literally to mean a dragon. I sometimes wonder why we even survived."

Gwen sat and looked at the young faces around her, "I'm missing something?"

"The Welsh Dragon" John said calmly, "Him. Get him, that a thing a person. Who is a Welsh Dragon? Come on Gappy, think about it. Who would they nickname a Welsh Dragon?"

"Ianto?"

"Yeah. They are after him, I guess they either know Kai is born or think he is due. Maybe they are hopeful of a two for one but… more likely they want him as leverage now or breeding now they are sure he can do it again. Give us the Kai for the Dragon kinda thing or we just breed our own little super solider."

As John spoke he slid the Katana into the man's chest and the death rattle filled the room, then John pulled it back to kneel and wipe it clean on the man's shirt.

"Well, fuck the Hen's Night" Anwen said calmly, "We can all move it to the Slice. Come on, we take it home to your place and your Tad can happily hover."

"Happy? Eye Cady?" John laughed, "Are you kidding? He will wanna kill something when he sees the bruising coming out on his little girl's face there."

Kara looked in the mirror as her face started to show her earlier fight in town and she cursed.

Yep.

Slathering and raging ahead for sure.


	39. Chapter 39

39

Ianto was ready to admit it was more than hormones as he simmered, his daughter showing off her already fading damage to those who were there for the morning Yoga session.

"Well, you are one tough chick" the Sherriff grinned, "Lord, you gave them the what for I bet."

"Are you kidding?" John laughed as he accepted his Mate's arms around him from behind, "this girl is a diamond in every sense of the word."

Ianto had tuned them out, looking for something to break or…ah. He walked over to the things leaning against the corner of the porch, things taken from in the front entranceway cupboards while they were being painted and amongst them the gift the Sheriff had brought him for the little Kai. Not everyone would bring a blade for a baby but the gift of metallurgy was still alive as Ianto looked at the broad sword the man had lovingly created and probably had stored away sadly knowing it was not something most would like. The dragon freshly carved into the simple wooden handle that was then bound with woven leather above it for the hands was running around the hilt where it met the blade like the dragon was trying to clamber into the wound it would create. Ianto had seen the beauty of it immediately and had been touched, was now touched even more as he saw the weight would be a good thing to throw about in an effort to ease his tense muscles.

Jack was outside with little Kai asleep in his shoulder, his hand patting the little back as the other cupped the wee bottom and he glanced over as his beloved stalked pasty in black yoga pants and nothing else, losing his train of thought and the midsentence stall had everyone turning to see Ianto reach the middle of the yard, plant his feet and raise the sword to hip level.

"Shit" John breathed softly.

Ianto began to dance, swinging the blade low like someone's feet were the target, his own knees buckling as he went down and then swung on a knee as he brought the other one up to rise, the sword now at decapitating height as he snarled, swung and continued a slow pirouette of doom.

"I made that" the sheriff said proudly as Ianto got the feel and measure of the metal, finding it a good balance, then he began to really let loose, his Welsh blood boiling as he roared and started to swing his wrist, the blade cutting the air in a helicopter blade motion above his head, swinging down in front to knick the grass and up again as Ianto swing behind himself and followed with his body, like the handle was the centre of the universe and he merely in its gravitational pull.

Ianto swung and moved, his hips gyrating as he showed himself to be the centre all the time, the huge blade a mere plaything as his anger slowly bled down the blade and into the sunshine where it dissipated leaving him gasping with the blade in the dirt as he knelt holding the handle and centring himself once more.

Clapping.

He looked up, surprised and then horrified that they had seen it but he saw Jack's look of pride and hoped it meant he hadn't made a fool of himself, as always thinking himself less than his true worth. Jack knew, walking over as Ianto rose and puling him in, their bodies cocooning the sleeping tyke as they kissed and Jack whispered, "That was HAWT"

Ianto snorted, shoving at Jack and then lifting the sword, "I like this!"

The sheriff would tell everyone, days worth of story to tell others as he wandered about town to show the footage he had caught on his cell phone, the handsome Adonis working the air like a god.

Anwen turned to Kara, "Ok. Come on admit it. Even you have to see your Tad is scary."

"Not to me" Kara snorted as she chose a gun and began to break it down in the blanket the two women were sitting on, "Taddy will never be scary to me. To others? Well…I admit he is deadly. Not just a show. Something he taught me at a young age. Do not fear the dog that barks. Fear the one who does not, for he does not need to appear more than he is, he knows the radius of his chain and you are within it."

Anwen glanced over as her own parentals, Rhys manning the BBQ as Gwen stood there gesturing as she argued with him about how long he was searing each side of the steak and sighed, "I used to think she was scary too."

"You kidding?" Jack flopped onto the blanket and let his daughter seize the baby with glee, "She can be scary as shit. Did you know she sold me out? Tied me up and gave me to the enemy to protect you once."

They gaped.

"It's OK though, I didn't mind. I'm the one that showed her to think that way" Jack stood and brushed off his jeans as he prepared to leave his son with the other member of the family who would die for his little self, "and at the end of the day…you are still here Annie."

He went off to see if his love was under the water yet, all neekid and stuff.

Anwen turned to Kara, "She wouldn't do that."

"Yeah, she did" Kara said softly, "Miracle Day. She did. I read about that, the Family wanted him in return for you. Apparently she never blinked. Neither did he. He chose to go willingly."

Anwen gaped.

"Don't be harsh. You know…for this little one here I would give anything" Kara shrugged as she cuddled the bub "and he's right. We are still here…the Family? Long since ash."

Anwen nodded glancing at her mother again and finding she was now standing stock still like she knew what they were talking about, then she smiled over at her and her teeth gleamed.

Anwen knew they were right.

Her Mama loved her enough to sacrifice everything.


	40. Chapter 40

40

As much as I would like to, I know I can't keep her in this little slice of Heaven forever" Ianto frowned as he leaned forward, the baby popping off the tit to lay limply in his arms as a little snore stared to fill the air, "Little shit. Asleep at the tit again."

"Awwww look. Asleep at the switch, my little beast" Jack crooned as he gathered the limp little flopper up and expertly checked his nappy then placed him in the little Moses basket by their feet so Sydney can sniff him and settle against the side of the basket to protect him lovingly.

"I don't want to go all End of the World on them but really…this is going too far." Ianto rose and moved over to check the teapot, tipping it out and starting a fresh pot.

"Our last attack has made a dent, it certainly pissed them off" John agreed, his own cup sliding over so Ianto could see it needed a top up "We could make another swipe at them but they will be onto us now, we can't replicate the last entry into madness."

"Well I think maybe we should just knock on the front door and ask what the fuck they want" Ianto said as he poured the seeped tea and sat with his own cup, glancing at the baby who was still snoring.

"And if they want to do horrible things to you?" Gwen asked.

"Huh. Point. Far point that Gwennie love" Ianto sighed, his head falling back.

"So… we invite them here?" Jack suggested, "A little parlay?"

"Would they do it?" Ianto asked.

"Have before, I don't see why not" John answered as he considered "I know they will be dying to get a look at you and especially little Kai"

"well…I leave it to you to extend the invitation" Ianto said as he nodded to John, "I am sure you can convey our…desire to talk?"

John grinned, "Oh baby, you know I have the words needed to convey your thoughts in this matter."

"Lovely" Ianto grinned, then yawned, "tired. Cariad, come rub my feet, I might need other bits rubbed too."

Jack perked up, "Coming Tiger."

"I need to make sure the man of mine has remembered to unpack the blankets" Gwen rose, "I can't sleep without the pink one for my feet."

John watched them go then turned to look at the goddess swinging in her chair, her dark hair almost black in this light. It changed ya know. Her hair. Some lights it had a halo of flame, others it seems ink. Earlier he would have sworn it was a dark blue. She seemed to regard him then she raised an eyebrow and became a parody of her parentals, her Dad's smouldering looks with her Tad's sass.

"I know…I will make it loud" he grinned and she snorted as she nodded, then looked away as she wondered where her Were was.

"Kara?" John said softly.

"Mmmm?"

"You know this is going to end with blood, right?" he asked and she canted her head as she regarded him.

"Johnty, I know full well how this will end. How it would always end. So do you. We have to play the game though, we have to go through the motions to get to the point we know we must reach." She rose and smoothed her hands down her trousers, like her Taddy does, "Don't worry. I will do what must be done. You do your part, and I will do mine. It's not over until the fat lady sings."

John paused as he went to rise from his chair and glanced at her with mild amusement, "Really? The fat lady?"

"It's a saying John" she sighed rolling her eyes, "Like She will be alright on the night."

He grinned, "all female connotations. Why does it always come down to a woman?"

"Because you need someone to tell you what to do" she chortled as she took off, his laughter following her out into the sunlight where she watched her Father dancing with her Taddy, their eyes locked together as their love thrummed.

Oh yes, there is a woman behind the end game.

And she will be fucking fierce for her family.

Her blood thrummed with the righteousness of her worth, her Cymru blood mixed with the Boeshane…oh yes. They want a war they have one.

But it will be short.

And bloody.

And she will win.


	41. Chapter 41

41

Ianto wasn't even trying to hide his interest as the vehicles came to a halt and he remained leaning against the grillwork of the SUV as Jack strode to the edge of the bubble and nodded, letting it drop to step forward.

""Captain Jack Harkness" he said calmly and one looked at him with a grimace.

"Javic Thane, we know who you are."

"Ah. No. You know who I once was, big difference" Jack grimed happily as he swung to present his back, "Come on then this little window will close soon. I hope no one is stationed around the other side to slip in while the dome is down, you know we can create a door right? Embarrassing slamming into the glass barrier"

Ianto was still silently watching, finally standing up to his full height as one of the 'guests' slowed their stride to look him up and down. The plain black clothing that was reminiscent of UNIT along with the single side arm made him appear simple security and Jack had been tickled pink as he had asked if he was one of those bodyguards that did cavity searches. He looked ominous yet … vanilla.

Nice to know Ianto could still hide in plain sight, eh?

They moved to the waiting vehicles and headed to the picnic set up and waiting, Kev standing quietly to one side with the Sheriff, their looks of concentration marred by the three large wolves sitting near the table with their heads moving in unison to watch as the vehicles pulled up and doors opened.

"Honey, I'm home" Jack yelled, grinning as he bounced around the vehicle and the reply was a deep booming laugh as the Big rose from where he had been sitting behind some bushes, "Ah. There you are. You OK there buddy?"

As Jack grinned up at the huge man the Big Foot reached down to gently touch his head in a show of affection then turn to the gaping newcomers.

"Borig, fucktards. Fucktards, Borig. He's a Big" Jack said conversationally, "There are a lot of them and they all have big feet, if ya know what I mean. His dad Clyde is a close friend, my son's godfather. A big job that."

Jack then laughed at his own joke as Kev slid closer, "Captain. My children tell me we are secure in the water."

"Thanks bud" Jack nodded then watched Kev walk to the water's edge, then side in transforming as he went. More silent stares from those now groping for chairs.

"Hey Dad" Kara approached with the little Kai in her arms and the silence was now deafening as they watched her hand the baby to Jack who crooned softly, "And here is the cause of all the fun. Kai. This is my son, the future."

They all leaned forward as the little one blinked at them and then gave a gummy smile. Jack smiled as well, "And the Dragon? He's the one behind you all with the big fucking sword."

Thy swung at the same time as Ianto, the one nearest Jack getting a front row seat as the sword cut through throats like a knife through butter. John crowed from the other side of the table, his own Katana in his hand as he watched Ianto come to life, the snarl on his face animalistic.

"You see, they made a mistake" Jack said calmly to the panting woman who was still unscathed bar the viscera on her clothing, "They thought Kai was the danger. You see … he's not. We are. Kai can do anything he wants, be anyone he wants. Because of our power, our strength and bloodlust this little sweetling will never wonder if he is safe, will never fear the bogeyman."

"You know why?" John asked, liking this game, "It took me ages to work it out myself. All the planning, all the training, those ancient tomes of warning … that old prophecy that the Dragon has the Key to rule the Verse?"

She swallowed as she looked up at John, "Do you get it yet?"

"The Key…not the Kai. Ianto is the Dragon, he is the key to it all. Do you get it? He just lured you all in and you were all right here in front of him, like he was smoke." John grinned, "Kara is his daughter, Kai his son. You have been trying to grab them thinking they are the key. Neither of them are, they are the ..well…. cream on top."

John leaned in as Ianto casually wiped the blade of the sword with a napkin, "you see? Ianto is an enigma capable of anything, everything for these children. As long as they are under threat so are you and the real question here is only one he can answer.'

"And you know what the question is?" John asked softly.

"Do you want to live?" Ianto's voice sounded for the first time and she felt her innards fail her, his deep chocolate voice resonating through her very core as he stared at her, "For I hold life and death in my hand."

He lifted the sword and looked at it, "This."

She looked at it and finally saw what had been there all along, right under her nose as he placed the top of the blade against the earth, the handle visible. She looked at the stone glinting in the round top of the handle, the pommel held a red stone polished and gleaming.

You see … when he retrieved the USB stick from the bathroom of his ruined house he had hesitated….remember? Slid the lid of the container into his pocket along with the USB. Never wondered why he would keep such a thing? With it's tacky silver paint…with the little red crystal that served as the handle? So plastic and fake? Right? Huh?

She finally saw that she had no hope of winning this and she looked at the young man who would forever be this handsome, virile and dangerous. She had seen this sword before, had knelt before it many times.

Oh yes.

She reverently whispered it as she slid from the chair to kneel before the Boss himself "The Keystone."


	42. Chapter 42

42

"What is she talking about?" Kara frowned.

John had seen as well and canted his head, "Tell me eye candy, when did you get that red stone?"

Ianto looked at it and shrugged, "It was the handle on the lid of a container. The container was old and dnedted, not needed but I always liked the way the light hit the crystal so I kept it. When I saw the sword had a hole in the grip for a pommel I tried this and it fit like a glove. I like red. My colour that."

John blinked, then asked calmly, "And where, pray tell my lovely, did you get the container?"

Ianto frowned as he tried to think then he said with certainty, "The Warehouse. It was just there on the shelf one day. I knocked it off and… I liked it. The little bauble seemed to glow."

"Glow" John repeated with glee, "A bloodstone."

"A what?"

"You know, the old adage that you can't get blood from a stone" John explained "Comes from the fabled Bloodstone. Said to contain the very last drop of dragon blood to ever exist. It is said that the one who wields the power of the stone can cut….shit….can cut through time itself."

John looked at Jack who was staring at him then looked at Ianto. "Jack?"

"The Bloodstone. A rare gem of unknown origins and said to belong to the Dragon god himself. A warrior who is not only exempt from Time Agency rules… is said to have written most of them." Jack whispered with widening eyes, "An immortal said to have walked the worlds with his…captain….forever…..shit.."

Ianto looked at the sword and shrugged, "Whatever."

The woman made a small noise in her throat as Ianto focused on her, "What do we do with her then?"

"It's up to you lover" Jack shrugged and Ianto sighed. "Apparently you're the boss."

"Why is it always up to me. Gets tiring ya know. Look … let's let her go. She isn't half as dangerous as I thought she would be I mean look at her. Sydney could take her" Ianto flapped his hand in her direction, "Besides, Kai needs his feed."

Ianto slid the sword into its scabbard then wandered off with the baby, the woman looking at John, "You know what this is."

"The reckoning" John agreed.

"Don't be silly" Jack snorted, "The Reckoning is when the Boss purged the Time Agency of those who hadn't …played….by….the….rules. Shit?"

"Yeah. The Boss. Jack, it's Ianto. We are crossing timelines and need to be bloody careful here, that little bauble as he calls it is the Bloodstone, he is the Boss. He has it on a dagger now … in our real time … remember? The 51st Century portraits of him, always his face turned away said to be looking at his lover with that soft curl of hair around his ear lobe… the dagger on his hip where he rests his hand on it when pissed. Come on, you've heard the stories. That crystal is the Blood Crystal. Holy shit … I tried to kill the man who will one day give me my VM. That does your head in that."

"Unless you've already fucked that up" Jack couldn't help himself and he enjoyed a moment of John's horror before he remembered that it would also mean he wasn't here.

"Wanker"

"Maybe so" Jack rose to follow his love, "But I get to fuck the Boss."

John laughed as he motioned to the woman, "Come on love. Let's be having ya. You know something? I bet he knew all along that crystal was important, keeping it in plain sight like that the shithead. Wow. Come on."

She walked to the edge of the bubble and turned to stare back at the place Ianto had stood, then she looked at John, "This is real. That was real. Al this time we've focused on the children as the anomaly. It's him. Immortal, not his bloodline … himself."

"Was always him" John agreed.

Kara stood back watching as the woman rubbed her hands on her clothing and then finally locked eyes with Kara, the world seeming to slow and stop as the real danger was in that second of connection. Kara knew she looked like Jack, her clothing and stance similar and she played on it, winking to break the eye contact and was rewarded with a blush as the woman looked away, a soft clearing of her throat as she watched Kara covertly channel her Taddy instead, walking up close to whisper in her ear, "You tell them… tell them this little slice is toxic to your kind. OK?"

The woman went to speak but those lips on hers were so soft, even as a low pitched snarl from somewhere to the left of them registered, the most amazing thing that did register was the slight tingle to her lips as she finally drew breath, the goddess pulling back to leer in that Harkness way.

She stumbled from the area to her vehicle and her driver woke from his map with a grunt, looking for the others with confusion.

"Just me…let's get to the jump point, hurry" she demanded, turning to look back at the area shimmered and the bubble dropped. The beautiful goddess raised a hand to wriggle her fingers goodbye.

Minerva knew one thing for sure, this place would belong to her before the week was out. Oh yes, that blood would be an excellent thing and the future of her soldiers would be enhanced once she extracted whatever it was that made them….zing. If she owned the Boss, she owned the Agency. Oh yes, she would rule with an iron fist.

She raised a hand to brush her lips, the tingle still there and she felt a wetness between her legs that was surprising. It had been some time since she had been moved like that. Maybe she would keep that one for a pet.

Hmmmm?


	43. Chapter 43

43

Kara was standing at the basin washing her face, the special wet wipes to remove the makeup in use, especially that loud red lipstick she was now ensuring was completely gone. John stood beside her, another lipstick in his hand and she accepted it, smearing it on liberally even though it seemed clear then nodded as she confirmed, "The zing is gone."

"Leave it on for about an hour then wipe that off too, any latent toxins will be gone" he advised and she turned to face him, her face devoid of anything artificial help bar the clear lipstick currently leaching the lingering poison from her lips. John was transfixed with her exotic self and grinned. "You know…if that fuzz ever agreed to a threesome you will keep me in mind, right?"

Kara snorted, "Get over yourself ya Muppet. Willem would eat you alive."

John frowned, "Depends. Would that be a bad thing?"

More laughter as she shoved his shoulder affectionately and his own mate chuffed with amusement in the other room, his exceptional ears having picked up the conversation and knowing his mate was only playing.

He was his now.

"So what happens now?" Ianto asked, Kai on his chest as he burped him after his afternoon feed.

"She goes back to report, the toxins in her body will have mutated and be airborne, each word she speaks will carry the sickness into the air, toxic." John said with extreme pleasure in his craft, "Within an hour she will die a horrible death, those watching going into quarantine which means shutting down the facility with everyone inside. Of course, just her walking through the levels contaminated each one so slowly, one by one they will die. Everyone who conspired to take down the Agency will instead die within it. Those who are out working on the orders of the Boss will return to find the place vented and those who didn't play the game according to the rules gone."

"How?"

"Do you really want to know princess?" John asked as Kara ploked down and leaned forward, "It will not be pretty."

"I am their daughter, do you think I need protecting from the nasty truth of the worlds? Come now Captain, tell me"

He sighed, knowing as well as she did that using the title always made him more subtle to her, "It's like anthrax. Plague I guess. She will cough blood, then piss it. It will run form her eyes, ears, nose…twat…arse….her skin will discolour and then split like an overripe peach…her eyes will finally erupt and that liquid will….you're enjoying this."

Kara was leaning over the edge of the chair with wide eyes, her mouth partially open and Ianto snorted as he watched John's face light up with amusement, "OK. So… she will sort of …rot within a matter of half an hour. The stench will be terrible, that toxic too."

"Will she fart toxic gases too?"

John stared at her then started to laugh, leaning back in the chair as he clutched at his sides and roared, Jack's voice coming from her sweet mouth too much to ignore and he was again amazed at her ability to have performed such a complex manoeuvre with such ease.

They had all focused on Ianto, had all thought him the threat. Even now, as the silly bitch stood killing everyone she was telling them only of him. Singing like a toxic canary. Fat lady singing, eh? Kara here and her little brother not even a footnote. Her death would be horrible, remembered by those who watched off-base on closed circuit TV. Ianto and Jack blamed, Ianto recorded as a dangerous beastie.

Kara? Kai?

The true danger was now free to exist without fear of retribution as their parentals who were clearly immortal could handle any attack thrown at them.

John knew protocol as well as Jax did. The focus would shift to Ianto. Jack will always be with him so any and all attacks will be met with gleeful force, the rare times they leave the bubble will be with fuzzies and weapons of mass destruction. Those loyal to the Boss now closing ranks to portect timelines and ensure his future.

Kara and Kai now just bit players in the eyes of the Agency, their true power unseen.

Ianto turned his head to look at John like he could hear his musing and he rose, walking over to place the baby in his lap, "Jack and I need an argument for a moment, take him will ya?"

John found himself staring into little pools of loveliness as Kai blinked at him, then smiled.

"Hello dangerously deadly little imp" he crooned, marvelling at the little package that might one day destroy worlds as his parentals watched, his sister no doubt setting off the charges with whoops of glee.

Kai squealed and reached out a hand, palm out and John knew the command, leaning in to kiss it.

"You know…I might like one of these" he whispered to no one in particular, "Always wanted a little sidekick worthy of reloading. You know… it feels different to how I thought it would."

"How what would feel lover?" Mack whispered and John smiled softly.

"To hold a tiny shit maker" John replied, "They are so…full of life. I always shied away from one."

"But you might like one now?"

"If it grows into something like that monster over there…yeah" John said as Kara threw herself onto Willem who yelped as she bit into his ear with abandon.

Mack smiled lovingly as he let a hand slide around John's neck, "Well…you better seed me while we have a blue moon lover, us of the high blood can conceive in that short space of time instead of the females."

John went still.

He would not have to carry it?

Really?

.

..

.

Somewhere...somewhen...a fat lady was singing and the song was a killer tune.


	44. Chapter 44

44

"All along, it was there all along" Jack was pacing and Ianto leaned against the doorframe to watch, still perturbed by the reaction to his gem on the sword.

"So … I am the Boss after all?"

Jack swung to face him, "This is not funny Tiger. Shit. You need to remember this, you need to have things in place in the year…"

"Fifty one sixteen?" Ianto said calmly.

Jack blinked.

"John already explained the thing while trying to keep the paradox of it away. I have to remember that this is coming, Minerva and her people are conspiring to overthrow the Agency. They need to all be home in their little base for the toxic stuff. Jack, you forget…edidic memory" Ianto rapped the side of his head, "I will know from the moment we enter that century. I will plan and be prepared. I will also enjoy being so far away from it, devoid of any blame. Not sure how I feel about portraits of me on display though."

"Never your face…shit. Now I know why" Jack started to laugh, "All this time I've wondered what you look like, looked at the handsome man with the taut arse looking off to one side at some handsome mate they say is called his Captain. Huh, why I liked the rank."

"Yeah? You wanted to be a captain to impress little old me?" Ianto snorted.

Jack pulled him in, "Did it work?"

"Are you kidding?" Ianto sighed softly, "Hawt."

Jack laughed, their lips crashing together as Jack revelled in the strong body in his arms, so much life and power contained in the prefect body that could give such pleasure, produce such gifts, and inflict such pain.

"Ianto…I know the 'L word' is…"

"I think it's OK now" Ianto let his forehead rest against Jack's "I don't think we can jinx something that is now a fixed point my Cariad. I love you too."

Jack leaned back to look at him, "You said an argument."

"Yes. Get naked on that bed and so will I, we can argue about who get to top" Ianto said as he started to undo his cuffs and Jack roared with glee, rushing to comply even as they both knew the wrestling match they were about to have would end with him debouched and pleading as Ianto held back the last deep thrust he wanted.

Such was the game.

.

.

.

.

Clyde knelt and looked into the patio doors, making Kara rise from her seat and walk outside as she knew a Big Foot on his knees was not a pleasant thing for anyone "Hey big boy."

"We wanted to tell you, there is a herd of deer approaching, probably within an hour or so…maybe dusk they will pass across your lawn sweetling."

"Oh thanks, Kai does love them so much" she said with delight, the large man smiling at the pretty little thing…even if she was a hairless one. She waved as he rose to go to his own little ones, heartened as he heard soft laughter from the other room that told of loving.

"Kai, did you hear that" she asked her baby brother, leaning over him so he could grab a handful of her hair, "Deer coming. We can put you in that lovely warm bodysuit aunty Gwennie got you and we will all sit on the porch under rugs and watch them come. Tadda will put out the pieces of apple and carrot for them so they can have a snack and you can wave, yeah?"

She scooped him up and Willem watched her cuddle and croon, seeing what a good woman she was and how well loved their offspring will be. He watched Mack and John cuddle in their chair and felt slight annoyance as he knew what Mack was whispering, the hope and promise of a spark with the blue moon and told himself not to be uncharitable.

Their time would come.

When his queen was ready.

Besides. So much fun in practicing right? He sighed as she turned to face him, her face light and full of love, "What are you thinking?"

"That I love you so much I might melt with the heat of my lust" he replied easily and she laughed, exposing her throat as a mate does who does not fear her man, "Oh Kara. You have no idea the depth of love I hold for you."

Her face softened as she looked at him again, her baby brother nuzzling her throat as he enjoyed her smell, "Willem, if it is anything like the pleasure I feel in your touch alone, then we are both blessed."

He leaned back with delight, feeling the bond between them as the moon mother called to those who wanted a seed.

Then Kara swung back as she glanced at him again "But you better put a ring on it if you want one of these, or Taddy will put a ring on you that might make things…awkward."

He blinked as he looked at her, "Huh?"

"Marry me fool" she hissed, "Not a were hows-your-father thing either. Ask for my hand, then get a ring, on one knee and ask me while they look on with approval. Otherwise, get a spark going in me and your flame might be extinguished with extreme malice. After all … I am their baby girl ya know."

Somehow, the idea that this craven witch might be considered anyone's little girl was so amusing, her hair flying as she danced with the baby, almost sparking with the sunlight filtering through it. Willem watched her and knew there would be pups. There would be a bloodline to be reckoned with.

He knew the moon goddess would be kind.

For one of her own danced for him.


End file.
